The Many Worlds Theory
by Ezra Scarlet
Summary: Naruto intends to travel back in time to save his Village. Unfortunately for him, the line between time travel and dimension hopping is paper thin, and he might have accidentally torn across it. Now, Naruto will do everything he can to stop this world from turning into his, a mission that becomes harder and harder to accomplish when mysterious circumstances continue to arise.
1. Prologue

Notes: Slanted writing, _like so,_ means it is either an inner thought, dream/flashback, or there is emphasis on that word.

Author's Note: This is my first time at attempting to write a long beaten to death fanfiction trope, time travel. I've added my own spin to it, however, so I hope you enjoy it. Please be sure to tell me what you think in the reviews!

* * *

There's a stillness in the clearing that not even the wind can touch. No birds sing their songs to the rising sun nor do the leaves rustle about. In the middle of the clearing, lies a blond figure. He is shirtless, showing off a weeping red hole in his chest. Twisting out from the large wound are threads of raised red skin, starting from the hole and snaking up and out and around his torso and arms like the branches of a tree. Blood flows from an open wound on the top of his head, and his leg is bent at an unnatural angle.

A figure materializes in the clearing, taking in the scene before them. They search the clearing quickly, making their way towards the injured blond with a kunai in hand. Kneeling beside the blond, the figure withdraws their hood to reveal fiery red hair encasing features embedded with tired lines aged with time.

The man goes to touch the blond who suddenly gasps awake, chest spluttering in a frenzy of activity and surprising the man. Spine arching, head thrown back, the blond screams.

* * *

"It's called a lichtenberg figure."

Minato glances up from his perusal of the mysterious blond figures medical chart and at his head of medical staff. Tsunade isn't looking at him, but instead at the blond man lying comatose on the bed in front of them.

"Lichtenberg?"

"Yes." She answers, gaze still focused on her patient. "It's a wound commonly associated with lightning strike victims. But…"

"But?" Minato prompts when Tsunade trails off.

"But, as said in Yuki's report, there were no burn marks around the area he was found in. Nor does he show any of the other signs of being struck by lightning. Yes, he has the giant hole in his chest, a broken leg, probable concussion, punctured lung and severe chakra depletion, but these aren't consistent with being struck by lightning. The chest wound looks like its been given a patch job, enough to buy him a few minutes but not to save him. By all rights he should be dead. Currently, he's healing at such an alarming rate that I'm thinking he has some kind of Kekkei Genkai. Despite that however, because of his injuries there is a chance he might not even wake up. So…"

"Judging from all that then, this man is most likely a shinobi, and not some poor civilian caught in the crossfire. You're thinking the wound was caused by a jutsu?"

Tsunade doesn't answer, her gaze distant and troubled.

"Tsunade-sama?" She still doesn't answer, seeming to be struggling with something. Minato waits, not wanting to push her and end up a Hokage-sized hole in the wall.

"I've only ever seen this kind of wound as a result of one Jutsu before, Minato."

"Where?" He asks, trying to stop the rising frustration at her lack of answers show on his face, "Tsunade-sama, where?"

Her gaze flickers up at him, the guilty look of a woman about to rip open old wounds.

"On the body of Rin."

Minato looks behind him at the open doorway, unsurprised to see Kakashi there. Minato is, however, surprised at his words. After the death of Rin, he barely mentioned her name. Minato looks at Kakashi in shock, at Tsunade, and then back at Kakashi. The lines in Kakashi's face have deepened, pulling taught with composed stress. If Minato didn't know Kakashi as well as he did, he wouldn't have noticed.

"How'd you know to come?" Minato asks.

"I called for him," says Tsunade. "After I recognized the wound."

Minato processes all of this information slowly, methodically.

"So," he says, "you're telling me that this wound," here he points to the comatose blond man lying on the bed, "is similar to Rin's?"

"Not similar, Sensei, no." Kakashi contradicts.

"Identical." Tsunade finishes.

Minato runs a strong hand down his face. "Did you teach your jutsu to anyone, Kakashi?" Kakashi flicks him a dry stare. "You know I didn't, Sensei. It is possible that some of our enemies may have been able to recreate Chidori after seeing me using it during the war, but without Sharingan they would not have been able to use it effectively."

"Okay," Minato says, pinching the bridge of his nose, "so we then have a mysterious blond man on our hands who we know nothing about, who appeared out of nowhere with a wound _seemingly_ inflicted by Chidori, but that's impossible because no one outside of our village could possibly have replicated it effectively enough to use in battle. Is that all?"

A silent tilt of the head and a one shoulder shrug from Kakashi, as if to say "beats me." Tsunade chewed on her bottom lip thoughtfully. Minato, catching her unease, raised an eyebrow at her. She huffed out a breath of air through her nose.

"Well, I can't be the only one who noticed it, right? I mean...he looks an awful lot like you, Minato. Enough to be related to you, at the least." For the first time since entering into the hospital room, Minato finally lets himself look at the man in front of him. He was still young, his face still holding some of the baby fat associated with youth. He had short, blond hair that was currently being held back from his forehead by bandages. On each of his cheeks were three whisker marks, and if he were to open his eyes, Minato knew from the medical report that they were blue. He couldn't have been older than twenty years.

Minato takes a deep breath in through his nose.

"Tsunade-sama." He says. "How long will it take to get the results of a blood test back?"

Tsunade's eyes harden. "A week. Do you want me to…?"

Minato looks down at the comatose blond, fists clenching behind his back.

"Yes."

* * *

 _The clearing is quiet. They both sit side by side each other, backs leaning up against a tree as the wind whips softly around them._

" _Hey, Sakura."_

" _Yeah?"_

" _Do you think things can ever go back to the way they were before?"_

" _Before?"_

" _Before the Third died. Before Sasuke left. Before the War. Before Orochimaru. Before."_

" _I don't think so."_

" _Oh."_

" _But," a pause, "if there's anyone who can do it, that would have to be you."_

 _Silence._

" _It would take a shit tonne of work." Naruto sighs._

" _Well then," Sakura says, a soft smile on her lips, "I guess it's time to go to work."_

" _So wake up, Naruto."_

" _Wake up."_

Naruto flies forward up off of his bed, a heaving gasp pulling in through his throat as he does. Immediately, the occupants within the room flurry around him in activity. Too late, Naruto feels the wound in his chest protest to his sudden movement. A hand alight with green chakra is immediately there, offering relief. Catching the smell of booze, Naruto looks up into his healers eyes.

Tsunade stares back.

 _Did I not go back far enough?_

His confusion isn't enough to stop his happiness however. At the very sight of her, he almost begins to cry. Luckily for him, Tsunade seems to write his sudden burst of emotion off as fatigue.

"How are you feeling." She asks in a stern voice. Naruto tries to wave her hands away, in the hopes of getting a better look at her. After she backs off a little however, Naruto catches sight of the blonde man hovering just over her left shoulder. His eyebrows thread together in rising anxiety.

 _Did I go back_ _ **too**_ _far?_

But something's not right. Because him overshooting it would explain Tsunade's presence in Konoha still, as it would his father still being alive. But nothing can account for the lines of age that Naruto has never seen his father hold. Nor can it account for a fully adult sized Kakashi standing next to him. Naruto looks at Tsunade, still in the village, his father, still alive, and finally at the fully adult sized Kakashi. He feels himself pale.

 _Fuck._

* * *

The red headed man watches the occupants of the hospital room from his perch on a tree outside. His cloak pools out around him, hood pushed back. The man takes a deep breath, in through the nose and out through the mouth. Hands clasped in front of him, he concentrates.

No one is there to see him burst into a puff of smoke.


	2. Around or Through

Notes: Slanted writing in italics, _like so_ , indicates that it is either an inner thought, flashback, dream, or there is emphasis on that word. Bolded writing in quotation marks, " **like so,"** means it Kurama talking to Naruto in his mind. Slanted writing in italics with quotation marks, " _like so,"_ indicates that it is Naruto responding to Kurama in his mind.

* * *

"So," his father stands at the foot of the bed with his arms behind his back, flanked either side by Kakashi and Tsunade. "welcome back to the land of the living." Naruto can't quite stop his laugh at that comment, an action that has all three of his current interrogators raising their eyebrow in question.

"Something funny?" Tsunade asks dangerously. Naruto shakes his head, putting his hands up in a placating manner. "Sorry," he says, "just remembered a funny joke." All of them look disbelievingly at him, but he doesn't mind. As far as he's concerned, sanity took a nosedive out the door for him years ago. Also, the fact that he's currently face to face with three dead people he had, at different points in his life, come to look up to, his mental state wasn't doing too well at the current moment.

He stifles another laugh with his fist.

"Let's start with an easy question." His father says. "What's your name? "

Naruto knows that he's being treated nicely at the moment, considering the lack of restraints and glares. If this were Naruto's Konoha, he would've had his chakra sealed three-fold and tortured before they would even _think_ about letting him have an audience with the Hokage. That's what war did to people, made them angry and distrustful. Considering the niceties that these three were treating him with, despite the very real threat of him being someone dangerous, Naruto thinks that the Konoha he is currently residing in is in a state of peace. This is something Naruto knows could change in an instant depending on how he answers this next question. To lie is dangerous, but so is telling the truth. It might be better, Naruto eventually decides, to lie low for now and gather more information about his current predicament, before telling them the complete truth. _The best lies,_ Shikamaru had once said whilst twirling a kunai nonchalantly around his finger, _are those stemmed within truth._

"Naruki." He answers. "I don't have a last name. I'm an orphan, never knew my family." Naruto plays with his blanket as he speaks. Distantly, he can hear Shikamaru criticising his poor choice of alias.

"Okay," Minato nods, a look flashing in his eyes and gone as quickly as it had appeared, "and how did you come to be here in my village, so dangerously close to death?"

 _The best lies are those stemmed within truth_ Naruto chants to himself, _the best lies are those stemmed within truth._

"I was hiding out with my friends when we got ambushed. We managed to defeat the enemies, but my friends, they…" Naruto feels something lodge within his throat, thickening his speech. "They…" He tries again, but the words get caught, falling short of the goal. "They didn't make it." He finishes instead, fighting back the ache he can feel welling within his stomach. "My friend Sai and I were the only ones to survive the ambush, but I was on death's door because of my injuries, and he was barely holding on. He…" A pause, then a deep breath. "He used the last of his chakra and what Medical Ninjutsu he knew to heal me as best as he could. Then he drew up a seal to teleport me away to somewhere safe for proper medical attention. The last thing I remember…"

 _Sai is painstakingly drawing the seal with the help of Naruto's instruction, using the blood pouring out like a fountain from the stump that was once his leg, cut off just above the knee. Naruto sits in the middle of the seal amongst all the rubble and bodies that surround them. He knows that if he were to tilt his head just lightly to the left, he would make eye contact with the lifeless eyes of those he loves dearly, pools of blood spreading around their cooling bodies. Resisting the urge to scream, he takes rattling breaths in and out that cause hacking coughs to leave his mouth. The hole in his chest is bleeding slowly, stemmed by Sai's Jutsu. Sai draws a final line, finger quivering slightly with the motion._

" _Is that it?" Sai raps out around broken teeth and a bloody mouth. Naruto tilts his head side to side from his position lying down to look at the seal, barely able to move, and nods._

" _That's it."_

" _Okay. Time for you to go then." Sai says. Naruto clenches his teeth against the pain coursing through his body and looks at Sai. "I wish you could come with me." Naruto cries, the words escaping from him like blood might do a sliced vein, "I wish I didn't have to go alone." Sai's eyes are filled with overflowing sadness. Naruto feels himself break at the sight of it._

" _I know."_

" _I'll save you all." He says, words carrying a conviction he thought long since dead, "I promise." Then, with a last heart wrenching lurch, he finds the last thread of his chakra deep within, and pushes it into the seal. The seal immediately lights up with chakra, spreading up and around his body like yellow, iridescent fire. Through the flames, he catches sight of Sai, slumped up against a wall with the life slowly draining from him. A tiny smile adorns his face, nothing more than a twitch of the lips._

" _I know." Sai whispers again._

 _The chakra spreads higher, blocking his view of Sai, and then he's jerked into cold black space and stars._

"The last thing I remember before waking up here is Sai pushing me into the seal and activating it without my permission. I didn't want to leave him, them...but I couldn't...I couldn't-"

"It's okay, Naruki." A warm hand clasps his shoulder in a strong grip, and Naruto leans into it. Tsunade turns around and glares at Kakashi and Minato. "My patient is tired. That's enough questions for today."

"Right." Minato says, hands smoothing down the front of his robes as Kakashi straightens from his lazy slouch. "Well, I'll see you tomorrow then, Naruki. I still have many questions." And with Kakashi in tow, they both exit the hospital room. Tsunade and Naruto both watch them leave, staring after the two of them for a small while. Tsunade sighs, then turns back towards Naruto.

"You are to stay in bed and not move without the assistance of either myself or a nurse, do you understand me?" The look on Tsunade's face is one Naruto has come to know and understand intimately, the same look constantly adorning Sakura's whenever she was trying to threaten him into doing something. The look never failed to work.

"Yes Ma'am." Naruto says dutifully.

"Good." Tsunade huffs. Then, without further ado, she turns on her heel and exits the hospital room. Naruto watches he go for a small moment, before letting himself relax back into his pillows and closing his eyes.

"What the hell is going on." Naruto mumbles to himself, distress in every syllable of his tone.

" **It seems you have jumped into an alternate dimension."**

Naruto jumps slightly at the sudden intrusion to his thoughts, before a smile alights his face. " _Kurama!"_ he responds mentally, " _you're okay!"_

" **I'm very weak, and my chakra has been depleted severely trying to stop you from dying, but yes, I am okay."**

Naruto's heart gives a guilty lurch. " _Sorry."_ He says, a little hesitant. He hears Kurama sigh.

" **It's fine. Besides, neither of us came out completely unscathed, so I wager we're even now."**

Naruto look at his chest covered in bandages where he knows his largest wound to be, and then feels at his forehead. " _Will they scar?"_

And now Kurama can feel Kurama's own guilt. " **Yes. I'm sorry, my chakra was too weak and couldn't completely heal them."**

" _It's okay. Really."_

There is silence for a small while, as both Naruto and Kurama mull over their thoughts. Naruto is the one to break it. " _So, dimension hopping, huh?"_

" **Yup."**

" _But I thought Sai drew the seal correctly!"_ Naruto clenches his hair in frustration, for once letting the implications of his situation fully hit him. " _Once I traveled back, my timeline was supposed to be erased! I was supposed to save them and be the only one who remembered! But now you're telling me that I might have instead just jumped into a different universe and left them all for dead?"_

" **We can't know what happened until we gather more information, okay? Naruto, you need to calm down, you can't afford to lose control in a place like this. It'll alert everyone to your real nature and then our cover will be blown."**

Until Kurama had mentioned it, Naruto hadn't even noticed his teeth beginning to elongate nor the sharpening of his nails. Now, he feels both, and forces himself to take in slow, deep breaths. His lip bleeds slightly from where he had bit it, and he focuses on the pain. Eventually, his features return to normal

" **Good,"** Kurama says, relief obvious in his voice. " **Listen, I know this is hard for you but we don't know anything for sure yet, okay? So until then, keep your fucking shit together."** The words are harsh, but they're exactly what Naruto needs.

 _Keep your fucking shit together._ He says to himself. _We don't have time for a pity party._

 _So keep it together._

* * *

Minato sits behind his desk, hands clasped in front of him as he ponders his current predicament. Kakashi sits on the couch located in the corner of his office, legs crossed as he peruses his orange novel in front of him. Despite his casual appearance however, Kakashi is highly alert, ears twitching to even the most softest of noises. If an enemy somehow managed to slip there way passed the Hokage's ANBU guard, they wouldn't have very long to bask in their victory before Kakashi slit their throat. It had happened before.

There's a knock at the door, soft and slow. Minato feels himself straighten up from his slouched position, and in the corner of his eye he can tell that Kakashi's eyes have paused in their reading, remaining stationary.

"Come in." Minato says loudly and with control

The door opens, and a head pops through. Minato's shoulders immediately relax and a happy smile spreads across his face. In the corner, he sees Kakashi resume his reading.

"Kushina! I didn't expect you to be here too!" He says, standing from his desk to embrace his wife. "I've missed you so much!" He buries his head into her hair, enjoying the smell of her. She chuckles.

"Oh I was already heading over to visit when I bumped into Yuki. We decided we would visit together. And Minato, you saw me just this morning at breakfast, remember? Or has all that paperwork finally gone to your head?"

"Nah, I'm pretty sure he's always had a couple of screw loose, Kushina. You should of known this before you married him." Minato unearths himself from his beautiful wife's hair to poke a tounge out at the red-headed man behind her. "Shut up Yuki, you're just jealous because no one gets excited to see you anymore."

"That's not what your wife said the other night!"

That comment gets Yuki an eye roll from Minato and a hard smack across the face from Kushina, who scrunches her nose up. "First of all, ew." She says. "Second of all? Gross. You would have thought that you'd matured from those types of jokes by now, Yuki. Now apologize."

Yuki rubs sheepishly at his cheek, nursing the wound. "Sorry, Kushina." he mumbles, trying to ignore the smug look on Minato's face.

"You're an idiot, you know. Why can't you be quieter." Kakashi says from his position still on the couch, not looking up from his book. Yuki whips around to face him with hands on hips. "Yeah well, that's not what _your_ boyfriend said last night, Kakashi!" This time, the slap Yuki receives is from both Kushina _and_ Minato. Kakashi nonchalantly flips another page of his book. Minato lets out an exasperated huff of breath, mirrored by Kushina. Kakashi and Yuki continue to argue for a small while (or Yuki argues and Kakashi remains unaffected) when Minato clears his throat.

"Yuki, stop annoying Kakashi. Kakashi, stop egging him on." Yuki looks smugly at Kakashi, who flips Yuki a middle finger. _Honestly,_ Minato thinks exasperatedly, _if you didn't know them, you would think they were bickering children and not the strong, Kage level shinobi that they are._ Kuhina laughs lightly next to him, and Minato glances down at her.

"Anyone who didn't know us would think we had three children, not the one." She laughs out.

"Four, you mean." Minato says, a hand coming down to rest on the noticeable bump protruding from her stomach. She laughs again, "Oh yes, how could I forget this little one! I'm telling you, she's gonna be strong, what with all the pain she's giving me."

"You got the results back from the doctors!?" Minato asks, practically bouncing in excitement. Kushina shakes her head and hums lightly, "No, not that, but ...I just have a feeling that this little ones a girl. Call it a mother's intuition." Reaching down, her hand joins Minato's where it's still rested against her stomach. The sight of her, his beautiful wife, laughing with such carefree abandon whilst holding his second child settles some of the nerves he had built up over the past couple of hours. But still, the events of that morning gnawed at the back of his mind. Placing a kiss to the top of Kushina's head, he smiles down at her.

"I have business to discuss with your brother. After that however, maybe the two of us could go get lunch at Ichiraku's?" Kushina raises an eyebrow at the clear dismissal, but doesn't comment. "Fine." She says, poking him in the chest. "But you're paying!"

"Yes, dear." He says agreeably, not mentioning that they had a joint bank account and so technically it was _both_ of them paying. His wife leaves the room, closing the door behind her. Minato turns away from her exit to face Yuki, who was watching the two of them interact with a kind of vulnerable tenderness that's gone the moment he sees Minato watching, to be replaced with a grin. Technically, Yuki and Kushina were distantly related cousins who hadn't even known of each other before both coming to Konoha. But over the course of the years and through many hardships and trials, Kushina had adopted him as her own. Minato would be lying if he said he hadn't done the same.

"So, what's happening with the dead kid?" Yuki asks, hand scratching distractedly at the back of his head. Kakashi suddenly stands, snapping his book closed. Minato shoots him a questioning eyebrow."I already know all of this." He answers. "Besides, I better get going to my cute little Genin. That son of your's always tries to kill me if I'm ever more than three hours late. The other two show more restraint, but I can still see murder in their eyes."

"Well, how late are you now?" Yuki asks.

Neither of them can see Kakashi's face because of his mask, and one eye is completely covered, but both can just practically _feel_ the shit eating grin that spreads across his face.

"Five."

And with a puff of smoke, Kakashi disappears. Minato just sighs in exasperation whilst Yuki lets out a snort. "Honestly," he laments, "I don't know what I did wrong with that boy."

"It's a surprise that Naruto hasn't killed him by now."

"Well as you just heard, it's not from lack of trying."

They both laugh. It's only once their laughter has finally faded does the quietness return to the room. Minato strides back to his desk to sit. Yuki, sensing the atmosphere, loses the lines of laughter from his face and straightens his back. Minato runs a tired hand down his face, feeling tension creep back into his veins.

"So," Yuki ventures, "the kid?"

"Alive."

"And that's...a relief?"

"Honestly, I'm not sure just yet. We didn't get to ask him many questions before Tsunade kicked us out. Of course, that's her job as a medic, but still."

"What did you get from him?"

"Not much. We're going to re-interrogate him in the morning. You didn't notice anything weird when you found him?"

"Other than the half-dead blonde in the middle of the clearing? No."

"He said his name was Naruki." A flash of something almost like amusement flickers in Yuki's eyes, before it's gone. Yuki had always been weird, something Minato has long learnt to stop questioning.

"By the way," Minato says, looking Yuki up and down, "how did you know?"

"Know?" Yuki asks.

"Where to find him. There was no disturbance reported, no chakra flash, nothing. So how did you know?" There's a weird look in Yuki's eyes as he contemplates his answer, lips pursed.

"I don't know, to be very honest. I just noticed that the forest was unusually quiet, so I just kinda...followed it."

"You followed the silence?"

Yuki rolls his eyes. "I know it sounds weird, alright. I don't really know how to explain it other than that."

"Okay," Minato says slowly. "Well, all that aside, I have a mission for you."

"Yes?"

"I need you to gain his trust."

A raised eyebrow. "You want me to be a watchdog?"

"No, I already have ANBU on him around the clock for that. I want you to get to know him, coax his secrets out. I've told Kakashi the same."

"You're that suspicious of him?"

"I don't know how I feel about him. His appearance on its own is suspicious, and paired with that strange wound that _seems_ to have been inflicted by Chidori but can't possibly have been, I'm not letting my guard down. But at the same time, I can't see why any kind of enemy would be dumb enough to try a plan like this. I mean, the boy was nearly dead when you brought him in. So, I want to be prepared for all and every possibility. If he's a friend, then no harm done. But, if he ends up being an enemy, I don't want it to bite us in the ass."

Yuki bows. "As you wish, Hokage-sama."

* * *

Kakashi appears in a puff of smoke on the railing of the bridge, hand out in a wave and eye smile in full effect.

"Yo!" He says enthusiastically. He is immediately greeted with a kunai soaring towards his face. Kakashi catches the blade between his middle and pointed finger just before it pierces his forehead, smile not wavering an inch.

"Maa, Naruto-kun, that wasn't very nice."

"Like I care, you useless pervert!"

When Team Seven had first become a team, they had tried incessantly to stop Naruto from trying to kill him, Sakura always the voice of reason whilst Sasuke wrestled the kunai from Naruto's hand. These days however, both of his other two cute, little Genin tended to stay emphatically out of it in a way that suggested they really kinda wanted Naruto's ambushes to work someday. Kakashi's hunch was confirmed when Sasuke and Sakura's shoulders both dropped simultaneously at Naruto's hundredth failed attempt on his life. Luckily for them, Kakashi tended to like his little mutinous genin, when they weren't making attempted on his life of course. Which was why…

"I've decided to put your names forward for consideration in the upcoming Chunin exams in one month. Here are the forms," he hands all of them a slip of paper, taking pleasure at their dumbfounded little faces. "These need to be presented, completed, on the day of the first exam."

His three little Genin all light up in excitement. Even Sasuke, who tends to be the most reserved of the group, lets out a happy smile. "Thanks Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura shouts, jumping up and down, all three of them already having forgotten about their previous anger at his lateness. He did so love their tiny goldfish brains.

"Oh, also." He says, forming a peace in front of him and flashing them with it, "Training today is cancelled. Bye!" And then he disappears once more. The genin look at their papers, each other, and then at the spot their Sensei had just disappeared from.

"I'll kill him!" they all say in unison, eyes burning with murder. From the other side of the village, Kakashi feels shivers run down his spine.

* * *

A/N: Hey guys, so hope you enjoyed the second chapter. Please be sure to leave a review and let me know what you think so far!


	3. Who Are You?

Notes: Slanted writing in italics, _like so,_ means it is either an inner thought, flashback, dream, or there is emphasis on that word. Bolded text in quotation marks, " **like so,"** indicates that it is Kurama talking to Naruto in his mind.

* * *

Naruto doesn't remember the last time he was this heavily injured. Kurama was usually able to heal most wounds in a matter of seconds when given enough motivation. The longest he had ever been badly injured was when he had used the Rasenshuriken for the first time and had shredded the chakra coils in his arm to pieces. The reason that healing process had taken so long had been because of the delicacy of the healing to restore function to his chakra pathways. His current wounds were taking if not longer than that, due to a number of reasons. The one, main reason being because of severe chakra exhaustion, something neither Kurama nor Naruto had ever experienced before, and the severity of their wounds. After the fight that had nearly claimed their lives, Kurama had been busy trying to keep Naruto alive whilst simultaneously using the last of their chakra to activate the seal.

Naruto rolled out of his bed slowly, wincing slightly as his feet touch the cool linoleum floor. Bracing himself with his IV stand, Naruto uses the stand to support himself as he makes his way to the bathroom connected to his hospital room. The journey is slow, Naruto's leg in a cast and ribs still tender from their recent breakage, as well as the healing hole in his chest causing every breath to come out slow and wheezing. Eventually however, he makes it, letting go of the IV stand to grasp either side of the porcelain sink basin. He looks at himself in the mirror, taking in his pale complexion and gaunt features. One hand braced against the sink, he shrugs out of his hospital gown and uses the other to tear away at the gauze swathed across his chest. The gauze catch as he pulls, resisting his ministrations. Eventually however, with a grunt, the gauze pull free and fall to the ground to pool around his feet. The top of his chest is now exposed, except for a last final large square piece of bandage that is taped over his chest wound. The bandage is soaked red with blood, and crawling out from around the edges and originating from underneath the bandage, Naruto can see the lightning scar that branches across his front.

 _I don't remember that happening the first time,_ he wonders, poking slightly at the wound and the lines scarring his chest.

" **I healed you too quickly the first time for you to notice anything."**

Naruto hums softly. Sweat beads across his forehead at the amount of effort exerted just to keep himself upright. Hand rising again, he goes to slowly peel at the cloth.

"If Tsunade sees you doing that, she'll blast another hole through your chest."

Naruto startles slightly, fingers slipping on the basin and tripping on the gauze at his feet. A hand manages to snag around the crook of his elbow before he falls however, saving him from a painful trip.

"Whoa," Minato says, resting Naruto back onto his two feet and rolling his IV stand back over for him to lean on, "that could've been disastrous."

"Yeah, no kidding." Naruto grumbles, embarrassed to have been startled so easily. Also, the fact that he was currently clothed only in a pair of grey boxes and bandages didn't help things. Shaking away his embarrassment, Naruto looks at his father. It was strange, to actually be in the presence of the man. Though, if Naruto were being honest with himself, out of all the people Naruto had interacted with from him past so far, this man was undoubtedly the easiest to handle. Tsunade and Kakashi were both people who had become integral figures in his life, shaped his character and making him into the man he was today. In comparison, despite having a few encounters over his life, Naruto barely knew this man. For a large part of Naruto's life, this man had simply been The Fourth Hokage to him, someone who was strong but unreachable. And so, whilst his presence did leave a sense of longing for a life that was never his to have, it was far easier to deal with The Hokage than with the hole that opened in his chest whenever he thought of Kakashi, or the gaunt, lifeless eyes that overlapped his vision every time he saw the Tsunade of this time.

" _You shouldn't of done that, Naruto."_

 _Naruto doesn't look up at the person talking, knowing who it is already judging from the disapproving tone and the smell of smoke. He just keeps digging the hole, sweat pouring from his forehead and soaking his shirt._

" _Naruto."_

" _What!" He finally snaps, throwing the shovel outside of the hole and climbing out so he is nose to nose with Shikamaru. "What was I supposed to do, Shikamaru!? I couldn't just leave her there! Did you see what they did to her? They crucified and strung her up in the middle of the village and left her body there to rot. She deserves more than that! She deserves a burial and a funeral and some fucking respect-"_

" _That's not what I meant."_

" _Well what_ _ **did**_ _you mean?'"_

" _I meant you shouldn't have gone alone."_

 _Like a balloon deflating, the anger escapes him suddenly, leaving only a hollow emptiness and tears gathering at the edge of his vision. Shikamaru reaches out a hand, laying it on Naruto's shoulder and giving a comforting squeeze. Furiously, Naruto scrubs at the tears in his eyes. Shikamaru looks away to give him some semblance of privacy, but doesn't remove his hand. Only once Naruto has managed to compose himself does Shikamaru remove his hand._

" _C'mon. I'll help you." He says, circling around to the other side of the hole. Naruto nods stiffly, jumping into the grave and waiting at the bottom. He sees Shikamaru crouch done to grab her, legs straining with effort. He stands, and slowly passes the body down into Naruto's waiting arms. Naruto stumbles under the sudden weight for a second, before adjusting and laying her down into the grave carefully. He rearranges her body into a more natural position, covering her modesty with her bloodstained robe and brushing away dry blonde hair from her face. Gently, he places two fingers over her eyelids and slides them closed. He grabs one of her hands, pressing her knuckles to his mouth to place a kiss, and tries to ignore the matching holes in each of her wrists where the nails had been hammered in. Shikamaru stands quietly above, a watchguard of grief, and doesn't comment on the tears he can see cutting through his friends dirt-encrusted face._

 _That night, Naruto and the rest of the survivors drink to their fallen, fearless leader, necks snapping back with each shot of alcohol like the sudden jerk of a tightening hangman's noose._

 _Tsunade's burial is the first of many._

"Naruki? Are you okay?" Naruto doesn't answer Minato, waving his hand dismissively and using the IV stand to help make him make his way back to his bed. Minato hovers just slightly to the left, hands out ready to catch him. Naruto tries not to feel offended, considering that he had just seen himself in the mirror and saw how pitiful he looked. Sitting down on his bed with a sigh of relief, Naruto swings his legs back into the bed and under his blankets, before looking back up at the Hokage.

"So, here to ask more questions?"

The Hokage nods.

"Alright, so what did you want to know?"

"You said that you and your friends were hiding when you got ambushed. What were you hiding from?"

Naruto takes a small while to consider the question. "My village was...overthrown. My friends and I managed to escape with a handful of others, but the mutiny was far-reaching, and the enemy managed to get a hold of a lot of our people to hold as hostages, which restricted us from asking for help and from using lethal force. After that, my friends and I spent the next year trying to take back control of our village. We were known as "The Rebellion." Cliche name, I know, but when you're constantly fighting for your life and those you care about you don't really have much time to worry about group names. We were...unsuccessful. Many were lost."

"I'm sorry for your loss."

"It's fine."

"Are you okay to answer a few more questions?"

"Of course. What else do you wanna know?"

"What village were you from."

Here, Naruto hesitates, knowing that he is playing a very dangerous game with his next answer. He and Kurama had come up with the backstory late that night, trying to put together every single piece of history of the villages the two of them could remember (fortunately Kurama remembered much more than he) together to construct a believable back story. It needed to be a story that didn't fall apart when investigated, and a village that was so unknown that Naruto could make up whatever he wanted about the village and no one would question it.

Naruto tries to surreptitiously take in a deep breath.

"I'm from Kagero no Sato." Naruto says finally. Minato's eyebrows immediately fly right in his hairline, disbelief covering every single one of his features, before his eyes narrow. "That's impossible." Minato says, "Kagero was destroyed by Takigakure after they were left vulnerable from there war with us."

"Yeah, well," Naruto says dryly, trying to hide his relief that at least that little fact was the same in this dimension, "we weren't exactly going to broadcast to the people we had been at war with that we had managed to survive. You might've decided to finish off the job. I hadn't been born at this point, but after Takigakure tried to wipe us out, we went underground. Genno, our leader at the time, led us to a safe place where we began to rebuild. After that, well...I've told you the rest."

There's a dumbstruck expression on his father's face, like he can't quite believe the story Naruto has presented him with. But there's also something else there hidden in his expression, a dawning realization that Naruto thinks he knows the reason behind. "That's...quite a story." Minato says eventually. Naruto shrugs, unbothered by his father's disbelief. If everything worked out, Naruto's story would be confirmed without him needing to do much. He had left them the clues to follow, now it was up to them to put them together. And judging by the expression on his father's face, he was already halfway there.

"Is your village still standing?"

A shadow passes over Naruto's face. "No." He grinds out. "Like I said, we managed to defeat them when they ambushed us, cut off the head of the snake, but at a great cost."

Silence falls, both occupants of the room mulling over their thoughts. Finally, Minato speaks.

"Your story will need to be confirmed, of course. After that however, once you're all healed and if everything checks out, you'll be free to go."

"Right." Naruto says, relaxing back into his pillows with a relieved groan. "Well, when that happens be sure to let me know. I've only been here a day now, but I'm already going stir crazy."

"Well," Minato laughs, a little shakily. "I'll be sure to let the nurses know to get you a magazine or something." Naruto pulls a disgruntled expression at that, something which causes Minato to chuckle a little more naturally. "I'll let you rest, then."

Naruto settles into his pillows, relieved to be finally left alone. However, right before Minato goes to exit the room, he stops, hand paused mid-air in the action of opening the door. He turns back, a curious expression on his face.

"One last question. Where did you get that large chest wound? I've only ever seen it's likeness once before. The fact that you have it, I'm told, is close to impossible."

Naruto is quiet for a small while, deliberating his answer. His hand comes up to rest on the slowly healing wound, feeling his heart beat steadily in his chest. Looking up at the Hokage, he gives a small, tortured smile.

"I got it from a friend."

* * *

Minato stalks through the hallways of the Hokage tower, not bothering to offer his receptionist a welcoming smile like he might usually do before entering his office and closing his door firmly behind him, a clear sign that he did not want to be disturbed. Once inside, he shrugs out of his cloak and discards it onto the floor, sinking into the cushions of the couch that resided in his office with a weary groan. Head slumped back, he throws an arm over his eyes.

"Sensei?"

Minato removes his arm and looks out his window where Kakashi has perched himself, one visible eye shining with concern. Minato groans again, throwing his arm back over his eyes and attempting to sink lower into the couch. "I have a door, you know?"

A small thud can be heard as Kakashi enters the room. If he wanted to, Kakashi could have entered the room without a single sound. The fact that he was going to the extra effort not to startle him told Minato that he probably looked about as shocked as he felt.

"Did you talk to the kid again? What did he say?"

For a second Minato considers using the Hiraishin to transport back to his home where his wife currently was and bury himself in the warmth of her presence. However, he knew that Kakashi would no doubt follow him, and he didn't want to worry his wife needlessly just yet when they didn't yet have all the facts. Sighing, he leans forward and rests his elbows on his knees, hands clasped between his legs.

"He, uh...He told me where that wound came from." Minato deflected.

Kakashi raises an eyebrow. "Yeah?"

"Yeah, he...well, he said a friend gave it to him. I tried to question him some more after that confusing answer, but he refused to answer."

"Okay," Kakashi says, drawing the word out so that it has two syllables, "and what else? You wouldn't be reacting like this if there wasn't more to his story."

A pause. Then-

"He said he was from Kagero no sato."

Realisation spreads like a tidal wave across Kakashi's face. "That's impossible sensei, they were wiped out."

"Well, not according to him. But regardless…"

Kakashi gives a grim nod. "Do you want me to tell Tsunade to rush those test results?"

Minato gives a jerky nod. With a small bow, Kakashi disappears. Only once his former student has left does Minato stand, looking out the window residing behind his desk with his hands clasped firmly behind his back. Before, the idea that they could possibly be related had been a passing notion, a fantasy that a younger version of him would have welcomed with open arms. Now however, the thought that someone possibly related to him had somehow crash landed in his village brought only anxiety.

This boy was proving to be a lot more trouble than they had originally anticipated.

* * *

Kushina enters the Hokage's office with clear worry on her face, searching around the room until she finally lays eyes on Minato. Yuki trails closely behind, curiosity lining every feature as he notes the other occupants of the room. Tsunade stands behind the Hokages left shoulder with a grim expression adorning her face and a manilla folder clutched to her chest, Kakashi at Minato's right. Shikaku is lazily slouched in the corner of the room, eyes betraying his ease. Hiashi stands stiffly in front of the Hokage's desk along with Fugaku. Kushina, led by Yuki, makes her way to the couch to rest her swollen feet, where Sarutobi also resides, walking stick clasped in his hands. The former Hokage gives her a nod in greeting, before turning his attention back to Minato. Yuki sits on the arm rest of her side of the couch quietly, and together they wait. Kushina looks around the room, noting the faces she sees.

 _Somethings wrong,_ she concludes. _Minato wouldn't have brought together this select group of people he trusted if it wasn't serious._

Seeing her enter into his office, Minato offers her a small strained smile, but nothing more. She can feel dread welling up in her chest which she does her best to stifle.

"Thank you for coming here on such short notice. I know you're all busy people."

Nobody comments, eyes narrowed with focus. "I've brought you all here today because you are people I trust, and because the information I am about to tell you is either relevant to you, or I need your advice on how to handle the current situation. I know that this goes without saying, but everything I am revealing to you must stay confidential. Understand?"

"Hokage-sama?" Fugaku speaks up, not bothering to answer what they all already know the answer to, question in his tone. "What has happened?"

Minato takes a deep breath. If Kushina did not know him as well as she did, she wouldn't have been able to detect the subtle signs that something had shaken him. Fortunately for her (or unfortunately for Minato), she did know him well, and could detect the signs of contained anxiety in her husband that few would see.

"Some of you may be aware of this already, but five days ago a boy was found in the forest by Yuki with a fatal wound inflicted to his chest. After Tsunade got a hold of him however, he was able to be healed and woke up a little while ago. We were finally able to get some answers from him about who he was and where he came from."

"And?" Shikaku prompts.

"And," Minato says, "he told us he is from Kagero no sato."

An intake of breath from the occupants of the room. "That's impossible." Sarutobi breathes out. "I was there thirty years ago. Takigakure destroyed them." From her seat of the couch, Kushina can see his hands tightening around his walking stick.

"See, that's what I thought at first. But this boy, Naruki, claims that they managed to survive and rebuild in secret. And, recent circumstances have led me to believe that there is at least some truth to his story."

"What are these circumstances?" Hiashi asks. Instead of answering the question, Minato answers with one of his own.

"Do any of you know the story of my parents?" A nod from Kakashi, Tsunade, Sarutobi, Kushina and Yuki, dawning realization on the latter threes faces. The rest of the room shakes their heads no.

"My parents had me thirty-eight years ago. Five years later, my father fell in love with a woman from Kagero no sato and left us to be with her. This was during their war with us, and so not only was my mother betrayed because of his infidelity, he had also become a traitor. Two years after that, Kagero no sato was weakened from the surprise attack that the third Hokage" a nod of acknowledgment to Sarutobi here "ordered. Seeing that they had been defeated, Kagero no sato called for a cease fire which both sides acknowledged. However, seeing that they were severely weakened, Takigakure came in and wiped the rest of them out. My mother and I thought my father had perished along with Kagero no sato, as well as his mistress. However…"

Here, Minato casts a glance at Tsunade. Taking that as her cue, Tsunade circles around the Hokage's desk to pass each of them a paper from the manilla folder. When she gets to Kushina, Tsunade offers her a smile in comfort, before passing her a paper as well.

Kushina looks at Tsunade's retreating back, then down at the piece of paper in front of her. Reading it, she lets out a gasp of surprise. Head flying up, she meets Minato's gaze who is watching her hesitantly. The rest of the rooms occupants have also finished reading the report in front of them and are looking at Minato in disbelief.

"How accurate is this test?" Yuki asks.

"Close to one hundred percent." Tsunade answers. "Judging from the blood test, that boy is definitely related to Minato. The match is close enough that there are only two options. Either that boy, Naruki, is Minato's son, or his sibling. And seeing as Minato has said already that he wasn't fooling around when he was eighteen, and considering everything else we know…"

Kushina looks at her husband, wonder in her eyes. Minato stares back.

"It would seem that I have a brother."

The whole room is in shock, no one daring to even speak at this sudden realization. Minato looks around the room, letting the weight of his words sink in. "You can understand now," Minato says, "why I have called you here. Naruki says he is an orphan and never knew his parents, so assumedly he doesn't know about our relation. There is a chance that this man may simply be lost, that his story is true and that he made his way here by accident. But…"

"But there is also the chance that he was planted here by surviving members of Kagero no sato." Shikaku finishes for him. Minato nods, agreeably. "It's not too long a stretch." Minato says. "If they did manage to survive, and it's seeming more and more likely that at least some of them did, then they are likely to hold a deep grudge against Konoha. What better way to hurt us then to send in someone who they think we will trust?"

"But if that boy really is an agent for Kagero no sato" Kushina pipes up, "it was a bit stupid of him to tell you where he came from. He had to have known that you would be immediately more suspicious of him once we realized what village he is from. It would've been better for him to lie, say he came from somewhere else, anywhere else!"

"Or," counters Fugaku, "that could be what he wants you to think, a double bluff, so that we are more likely to trust so that he can destroy us from the inside out."

Thoughtful silence falls.

"I agree with Uchiha-san." Sarutobi says. "We cannot afford to let this boy into our village. It's too dangerous."

"Now hang on a minute." Yuki finally says, rising up from his perch on the couch to stand on his feet. "We don't know anything for sure about this boy just yet. Kagero no sato have been inactive for thirty years, so why decide to strike now? And besides, he's only one kid. If he is dangerous, we can handle him."

"So you would let a potentially dangerous individual loose in the village?" Kakashi asks. Yuki throws him an annoyed glare, opening his mouth to retort when Kushina beats him to it.

"Aren't we all potentially dangerous individuals? You let me into the village when I was lost, along with Yuki. We were refugees simply looking for a place we could call home. What if it's the same for this boy?"

"That's different, Kushina." Tsunade says, "Yuki and you were both from Uzushiogakure, a place that once had a strong alliance with Konoha. This boy is from a place that has no such loyalties."

"But this boy," Kushina says, voice growing louder with such strength that she was known for, "is family. He may not be my own flesh and blood, but he is related to Minato, and that makes him a much mine as Naruto is. I say, we give him a chance."

The room is silent after Kushina's declaration, each looking to Minato to see what he will decide. There is a thoughtful crease in Minato's brow, one which Kushina has to resist the urge to smooth over with her fingers. Kushina knows, at her very core, that Minato wants to accept the boy. After his mother had died when he was eighteen, he had been without family for many years. And though he now had Kushina, and Naruto, and even Yuki, Kushina knew that there was nothing quite like the love of a sibling. That was what her time with Yuki had taught her.

"You could," Yuki says softly, hesitantly, "just stick to the original plan. Simply double the ANBU guard on him, and have me and Kakashi get to know him. We'll keep him on a short leash, see where his loyalties lie and what side he's on. We know too little to immediately condemn him, but we won't let him do anything to hurt this village, Minato. You know that. "

Minato looks at Kakashi, who is nodding in assent to Yuki's plan, then around the room. The other occupants of his office are watching the exchange with matching grim expressions, no one out right disagreeing with the plan but at the same time not altogether happy. Finally, Minato looks at Yuki, whose eyes shine bright with determination.

"Okay." Minato relents. "It's a plan."

* * *

A bead of sweat drips down Naruto's face, the pressure upon him as he focuses intently on the task at hand. He sits on the linoleum floor of his hospital room, barefoot, and tries to concentrate. His leg, just recently out of its cast, is bent in front of him to keep pressure off it, still tender from its breakage. He reaches out a hand to slowly slide the piece out of place, hand shaking. Suddenly, the door to his hospital room crashes open with a loud bang, frightening Naruto and resulting in him to jerking violently, therefore destroying the jenga tower he had so artfully made out of chopsticks. For a second Naruto stares at his destroyed tower, hand still holding the chopstick he had been surgically trying to remove, and looks at the person who had so rudely barged into his room. Minato stares back, flanked by a red headed man that Naruto doesn't recognise.

"You killed choppy."

The man behind Minato snorts. "That's a creative name."

"And who are you?" Naruto says bluntly, not caring that he sounds rude. Minato sweeps an arm out towards the mystery man to introduce him. "This is Uzumaki Yuki. He's one of my Shinobi, and a distant cousin to my wife. Though at this point, they're pretty much like siblings to each other." Naruto is unsurprised that the man in front of him was an Uzumaki. In his experience, those with red hair were generally apart of the clan, with a couple of exceptions of course. Naruto had been highly disgruntled to find out that he and Gaara were not, in fact, relatives, and had once spent a drunken night explaining to anyone who cared to listen why that was an absolutely _stupid_ decision for Kami to make. Thankfully for Naruto, Gaara had been amused more than anything in that quiet, soft way of his, and then proceeded to help him get over the following hangover when Kurama refused to heal it for him. To this day, Naruto swore up and down that Gaara had been secretly enjoying his pain.

 _God, I miss him._

Tangent thought aside however, Naruto knew with absolute certainty that no one from the Uzumaki clan had resided in the village when he had been living there, and so this man's presence left him quietly confused. Were the Uzumaki's a prospering clan in this dimension? Or was this man just some weird cosmic mistake? The list of differences within this new universe were steadily filling a small room, and Naruto hadn't even left the hospital yet.

The newly introduced Yuki strides forward with his hand outstretched to shake. "Nice to meet you, Naruki."

Naruto looks at the man in front of him. He is wearing a navy blue turtleneck underneath a standard jounin flak vest and black pants that are tied off at the left knee and ankles with gauze. A kunai pouch is is strapped to his knee, and his hitai ate is tied across his forehead, holding back his red hair which is styled much like Naruto's own. His eyes are a pale green, and they are alight with what Naruto can only assume is humour at their destruction of Naruto's tower. Taking Yuki's hand, Naruto gives it a firm shake and lets go.

"Next time, knock, would you? I've been building that thing for the past couple of hours, stealing the chopsticks from trays that the nurses leave lying around. That could've been the creation that launched my art career, ya know!"

Yuki snorts. "I'll try to keep that in mind for next time."

"Anyways," Minato says. "Art creations aside, we have something to tell you."

"Oh?" He asks, standing up from the ground and flicking the chopstick in his hand to the ground to join the other discarded ones.

Minato looks at the newly introduced Yuki, hesitation clear in his face. Yuki gives a nod, which seems to fill the Hokage with confidence. Naruto's eyes narrow at the exchange. This man Yuki was obviously someone who's opinion Minato clearly trusted, and the fact that there was an unknown individual with such influence in his father's life set Naruto's nerves on edge.

 _I'll have to keep an eye on him._

"We've confirmed your story."

Naruto blinks once, twice, three time in shock before his brain fully registers what his father just said. "You have? Finally!" He shouts. "To be honest I didn't expect you to be able to. My village was pretty much completely wiped out a second time because of the mutiny. But thank god, I was beginning to go crazy in here. Did you manage to find survivors?"

"No." Minato says, a tad regretfully. "We didn't find any survivors. But, your story matches up with some facts that we already know, and so pretty much confirmed your story for you."

"Yeah? What were those facts?" Naruto asks, trying his best to look like he had no idea what they were talking about. Naruto didn't know what it was about losing everything you knew and loved that made you into a good liar, but he found himself almost glad for it. Almost, being the operative word.

" _Kakashi-sensei, can you tell me about my parents."_

 _Kakashi looks up from his solemn mourning in front of the villages memorial at Naruto who stands by his side, eyes tracing over the names of his parents. It had been over a month since Naruto had seen and fought alongside the resurrected version of his father. The war had been over for the same amount of time, and Naruto felt a heaviness rest in his heart that hadn't been there before as he left the names of his parents to search for Neji's. There it was, carved amongst many other recently fallen heroes. The weight in his chest grew. Kakashi looks back down at the memorial._

" _You pretty much already know everything already, Naruto. Your mother was a great Kunoichi, and your father an amazing Shinobi. They both defeated many enemies over the years-"_

" _No, no, no." Naruto cuts him off, impatience bleeding into his voice. "I don't want some stupid quotes from a history book. I want to know about them, what their favorite books were and whether or not they preferred ramen or sashimi. I wanna know about their lives, how they came to be here, and what their own parents were like. I want to know if my mom cried during sad movies or if it was my dad, and if they ever broke a bone during training. I wanna…"_

 _Here, a lump finds its way into Naruto throat, thickening his speech and making the next words come out shaky with emotion._

" _I wanna know if they ever thought about the future we would have together as a family, and what they imagined for me. I wanna know who they were sensei, not who the textbooks paint them to be."_

 _Kakashi is silent for a small while, hands clasped in fists in his pockets. "It would take me awhile, Naruto." He begins. "Those wounds are still raw for me even after all these years, so much so that sometimes I think I might bleed to death because of them. But...I wouldn't mind trying, for you, if it meant you got to know your parents just that tiniest bit better."_

 _Naruto smiles._

" _Thank you, sensei."_

 _A deep breath, in and out from Kakashi in preparation. Naruto doesn't think he's ever seen his sensei look this vulnerable before._

" _Your father was born in this village, as were his parents. However, five years after Minato's birth, his father fell in love with a woman from Kagero no sato…"_

Naruto had known that he wouldn't be able to hide his relation to Minato for very long, considering the many similar features they shared. His backstory had been designed (with the help of Kurama) to simply convince anyone who cared to investigate that he was related to Minato, and also gave them a reason to keep him around. Also, because of a crash course from Sakura once upon a time on blood tests, he knew that they were unable to correctly pinpoint the nature of the relationship between the two people, only whether or not they were actually closely related in the first place. Naruto would have liked to take credit for this plan, but in actuality it had been Kurama who had put it all together, sifting through Naruto's memories until he found something useful to aid them in their cover.

If it wasn't for Kurama, Naruto pretty much knew without a doubt that he would have died at least fifty times already.

" **Damn straight."**

"Naruki? Are you listening?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm listening. What were you saying." If Naruto didn't know any better, he would say that Yuki was currently trying to resist the urge to laugh at him. Though, considering what Naruto knew about Uzumaki's in general, that wouldn't be much of a stretch to imagine. Minato clears his throat.

"As I was _saying,_ " Naruto tries his best to look ashamed, but feels like he doesn't quite manage it if the unimpressed look from Minato is anything to judge by, "your story has been confirmed as it has come to our attention that you have relatives in the village, and _that_ is only possible if your story is true."

"Woah, wait, what? I have family in Konoha? Who!?"

Minato sketches a wry smile.

"Me."

Trying his best, Naruto injects as much disbelief into his voice as he can. "What!? You're kidding me, right?"

"Nope." Minato says, popping the 'p.' "It would seem that after my father ran off with another woman, he also went and had another child."

"So, wait…does that make us…?"

"Siblings!" Yuki pipes up. "Or brothers, if you want to be more specific. Only half, of course, but still. You're a Namikaze, kid!"

"Namikaze Naruki." Naruto says, rolling the name around on his tongue and testing it. It doesn't fit him quite right, feeling foreign the way aliases are supposed to. However, the last name does settle something in him, almost like a lost piece to a puzzle he never knew he was trying to finish.

"Now," Minato starts, "I know this is a lot of information for you to take in."

"No kidding. Up until five minutes ago I was an orphan with no family. Now your telling me I have a brother?"

"Not just a brother!" Yuki interjects, seemingly bursting with excitement at this possible family reunion. "You've also got a sister-in-law, a nephew, and a soon to be niece!"

"Let's try not to overwhelm the poor guy, Yuki. One thing at a time." Minato says, his tone lowering a little in reprimandation. "Look, I know this is a lot." Naruto just nods a bit dumbly. "But I've never had a sibling, and from what you've told me it sounds like you've never had any family at all." Another nod from Naruto. "Well then, I was wondering if maybe you wanted to meet them?"

Naruto looks at Minato, not quite sure what expression is adorning to warrant the sad smile on his father's. Sure, he knew on some subconscious level that if his father was alive than his mother might be also, but he had never really allowed himself to comprehend such a fact until now. It all left him feeling a little overwhelmed.

"Or maybe it's all too much right now?" Naruto immediately shakes his head violently at that, back and forth with his hands waving in front of him. "No! I want to meet them! When can I? Soon?"

"Well," another glance at Yuki, "I was thinking maybe now? My son is out on a mission with his team at the moment, but my wife is waiting right outside the door. Would you mind?"

Naruto shakes his head so hard he gives himself whiplash. His obvious enthusiasm puts a smile on his father's face and has Yuki chuckling slightly, but Naruto's barely paying them any attention any more, gaze focused on the entrance to his hospital room.

"You hear that Kushina!?" Yuki shouts towards the door. "You can come in now!"

"Yeah, yeah, I heard yah!" The door slides open with a bang, Naruto's breath catches in his chest, and there she is. Her long red hair sweeps down to her waist, with pale green eyes like her brothers peeking out from underneath her fringe. She is clothed in a simple yellow dress and comfortable shoes, and even from Naruto's perch on the bed he can see the large bulge protruding from her stomach. Kushina walks into the room, her husband and brother watching her with clear love as she goes, and stops in front of the bed. A smile lights itself across her face, and she gives a small bow.

"Hi there, I'm Uzumaki Kushina. Minato's my husband. Nice to meet yah!"

Naruto tries to answer her, but finds himself at loss for words.

" **Calm, Naruto."**

But calm is currently eluding him. Because there she is, his mother, in all her red-headed, pregnant, heartbreakingly beautiful glory. He wants to laugh and cry and let her hold him and tell him everything's going to be okay until his tears dry up and he falls asleep. He wants to listen to the sound she makes when she laughs and be the reason for her happiness.

But he can't do any of that. Can't be the son to her he so desperately wants to be. Instead, he scrunches up his eyes, shoves his emotions in a deep dark hole similar to the cage Kurama used to be imprisoned in, and smiles.

"Hello, Uzumaki-san. I'm…" A hesitant glance at his father here, who gives him a soft nod of permission. "I'm Namikaze Naruki. Nice to meet yah too!"

* * *

The surrounding area is dark and damp, an underground cave that is only kept alight by the few candles that are scattered across the area. Seated on a throne carved into the cave wall is a figure hidden in the shadows, alone and lost in thought.

Another figure walks into the cave, sound echoing with every step further into the cave they take. The figure stops in front of the throne, and falls to one knee with their head bowed.

"All the preparations have been made."

The man stands from his throne, the candlelight flickering across his features erratically, in and out of focus. All that can be made out is a single, predatory smile widening in the light of dying embers.

" And now, we wait."

* * *

Author's Note: Hey guys, hope you liked the third chapter of my story! I know that this chapter was a bit text heavy, but I had to get a few things out of the way before I could get to the funner stuff. Hopefully you enjoyed it, and please be sure to leave a review letting me know what you think. Thanks guys, and see you next time!


	4. The Dead Don't Speak

Authors Note.

From now on, I will be referring to our Naruto from the future as Naruki, for reasons which will become clear later on throughout this chapter. Enjoy!

* * *

Early morning sunlight streams through the closed blinds of the house. Kushina stands in the kitchen of her home, stirring absentmindedly at a warming pot of soup over the stove in front of her. So caught up in her thoughts, she doesn't notice Minato slipping through the open window behind her., arms snaking around her waist to settle on her belly, a chin resting on her shoulder.

"What are you thinking about?"

Relaxing at the familiar voice, she eases into her husbands hold with a sigh.

"Just about Naruki."

"What about him?"

"Nothing...it's just that...I don't...nevermind, it's silly." She says instead. Frowning slightly, Minato turns her around slowly to face him, hands in hers. "What is it, Kushina?" He asks again. She sighs in defeat.

"I don't know, maybe it was stupid of me, but I always thought the whisker marks came from my side of the family. Something to do with the Kyuubi? Seeing him now, though, it looks like I was wrong."

Minato hums. "So did I, actually. In fact, when first looking at him, he could be an older, more mature looking version of our Naruto."

"Exactly! Your dad's genetics must be really strong, if both Naruki and Naruto look and act so similar to each other. I wonder if this little one" a fond glance down at her protruding belly here "will look like the two of them. Do you remember what your father looked like?"

"No." Minato answered. "I was five when he left, and my mother was so hurt by his cheating that she burnt all evidence of him. He could show up in Konoha right now, and I probably wouldn't recognise him as my father."

Silence, as both parents ponder over their thoughts.

"Though…" Kushina trails off.

"Yeah?"

"He's also a lot different from our Naruto."

"Well, they are completely different people, Kushina." Minato says teasingly. She punches him in the arm lightly, though Minato still pretends to be wounded from the blow. "Shut up, you know what I mean!" She grumbles. Sobering, Minato smiles sadly.

"Yeah, I do. He looks a lot more like a survivor of war than anyone his age has a right too. And his eyes..." Minato trails off.

Kushina gives a grim nod of agreement. "What are your plans for him?"

"You mean, if he's _not_ a sleeper agent sent here from Kagero no Sato to destroy my village?"

Kushina rolls her eyes and nods. Minato mulls over the question. "If he's a spy, then it would be smart to keep a close eye on him. If he's not...then I would like him to become apart of our family. I…" There's something vulnerable in his gaze that has Kushina releasing his hands to clasp his face in her palms. "I'd like to try to help him...for both our sakes."

Stretching up onto her tiptoes, she places a peck to his lips and smiles up at him. He smiles gently back, a cautious bead of hope blooming in his chest.

* * *

Naruki sits on the window sill of his hospital room, watching the sun rise up over the horizon. A knock sounds at the door. He turns his head away from the window and towards the entrance.

"Come in." He says with a voice raspy from fatigue.

Yuki enters the room, giving a jaunty wave as he goes. "Morning, Naruki-san!" He says cheerfully. "How was your rest?"

"Rest-like." Naruki answers, pushing himself up off the window sill to stand at the foot of his bed. Yuki glances surreptitiously at his face and at the dark lines Naruki knows are no doubt under his eyes, then at the undisturbed bed still with its hospital folded corners. Thankfully however, he doesn't comment, and instead tosses Naruki a bag.

"Great! Here are some clothes to get changed into. You're being released today."

Naruki's neck snaps up fast at that, from the bag to Yuki's face to look at his saviour in excitement. "Really!?" Yuki nods.

"Yes!" Naruki shouts, punching his hand in the air in excitement, ignoring the slight pain his chest wound causes him at the sudden movement. Before Yuki can change his mind, he darts into the bathroom attached to his room, gets changed into the clothes (black sweats, white shirt, socks and sandals) and skids in front of an amused Yuki.

"Can we go? Where are we going!? We should get food, I'm starving! Do you think-"

"Whoa, hold your horses. One thing at a time, would you." Yuki says, hands out in a calming gesture. Naruki takes in a deep breath, releasing it out through his nose, trying to shake the excitement out of his limbs. He had been stuck in that hospital room for over a week, and had been about ready to start crawling up the walls with boredom. He had attempted to escape a couple of times, but after the second failed attempt, Tsunade had tied him down and threatened to castrate him if he tried again, which had quickly stopped any and all escape attempts.

Seeing that he was at least attempting to calm himself, Yuki nods his approval. "Alright. Follow me, we can go for some food. My treat."

"I could kiss you right now." Naruki says, eyes sparkling with wonder as Yuki leads him out of the hospital and into the street. Yuki wrinkles his nose up, pulling a face similar to disgust. "Please don't. You look a lot like my brother-in-law _and_ my nephew, so you doing that would just be all kinds of nasty."

"Noted." Naruki says, trying not to react at the reminder that this man in front of him was actually related to him in a weird, alternate dimension and timetravelly kind of way. Instead, he turns his attention to the village which they are currently walking through, Naruki's only view of it since arriving in this past alternate dimension having been from the window of his hospital room. Now that he's finally able to really be apart of it however, he has to stop himself from openly staring.

 _The last time I was in Konoha like this,_ he wonders to himself, _I was fighting for my life._

Naruki continues to walk through the village, taking in the pure peace and tranquility of a place that in a different time he might have called home. Now, standing amidst all these vaguely familiar faces and in one piece buildings, he feels like an outsider.

"Be safe!" Someone calls out from his right. Naruki turns to the sound of the voice, his steps slowing to a stop. Yuki pauses by him, a questioning look on his face. An elderly woman stands on the doorstep of her house, waving off a younger woman older than him by at least a decade wearing a chunin vest. The chunin gives the elderly woman a parting smile, waves, and then leaves. He peers at the older woman for a small while, brow wrinkling in concentration as he tries to recall where he remembers her from.

" _You killed my daughter, you demon!"_

 _Her face is twisted into a wild expression of hate and anger, eyes blown wide with manic fury and nostrils flaring. The closed fist she strikes his face with sends him crashing to the ground with a groan._

Face paling, Naruki tears his eyes away from the woman and begins to stride quickly in the opposite direction. Yuki lengthens his stride to catch up with, concern on his face. "You okay?" Yuki asks.

"Peachy. Where's that food place you were talking about?" Naruki says in an overly cheerful voice, tone a little short. Yuki just eyes him for a second, before performing the mental equivalent of a shrug. "This way." He says, leading Naruki through the crowd. Naruki follows behind, head down and fists clenched.

 _That woman,_ he thinks, _in my dimension, her daughter was killed trying to fight the Kyuubi. Does that mean…_

" **The fact that the Fourth and your mother are still alive seems to suggest so. Does Madara simply not exist in this timeline then? Did he never manage to turn Obito to his side? Or is Obito still somehow in the village?**

 _Fuck,_ Naruki swears, _how much more has changed!? How am I supposed to help a world so different from my own!?_

"Here we are!"

Naruki snaps out of his brooding to look at Yuki, who has an arm swept out to his side like a showman with a wide smile on his face. Behind him, a very similar stall sits.

"Welcome to Ichiraku Ramen, the maker of the best food in the world!"

Yuki strides over to the stall, sweeping aside the hangings in the front to poke his head into the stall to give Teuchi a big grin. Naruki walks in after him, his legs feeling like jelly as he takes a seat familiar yet so foreign in front of the counter next to Yuki.

"How are you doing, Teuchi-san!?" Yuki asks jovially.

Teuchi grins back. "Always happy to see one of my favorite customers, Yuki-san. What will it be today? The usual? And for your friend?"

"Yes please, that'll be great." Yuki answers. "As for him, he'll have a miso too." Teuchi gives a nod and begins bustling around to prepare their food. Swiveling in his seat to look at Naruki, Yuki slaps him on the back with a happy smile. "Hope you don't mind, but the miso flavour is the best. You'll regret it if you don't try it."

"Yeah." Naruki says, nodding dumbly.

"Dad, I'm going out. I'll be back in an hour or so with the groceries!" Naruki startles from his shock at the sound of the familiar voice, head snapping up to see Ayame bidding her father farewell as she exits the shop. Teuchi smiles as she goes, then continues to cook.

"Yo." Yuki pokes him in the side. "You alright?"

Naruki looks at Yuki, whose expression is creased slightly with concern. Naruki nods stiffly. Yuki looks at him for a second like he might press further, something flickering across his face before he turns away to chat amiably with Teuchi as he cooks. Even if Yuki was aware of his current situation, Naruki doesn't think he could ever find the words to explain how off balanced and emotionally exhausted he feels at the moment just from seeing two of the people who had loved and accepted him from the very beginning. Teuchi had died in the first attacks to the village, how or by who Naruki had never found out. Ayame, however, had managed to make it out with everyone else, fleeing alongside a hundred other lucky civilians who had managed to escape, forced to become refugees whilst the shinobi stayed near their homeland to fight. The last time he had seen her, she had been pressing a miso ramen recipe into the palm of his hand (something he had been begging them for years to share with him) with tears in her eyes, before fleeing after her fellow civilians. At the bottom of the recipe, a single sentence was written in Ayame's loopy handwriting, different to the jerky characters of her father.

 _So you never go hungry again,_ it had read.

"Here you go."

Teuchi places two large bowls down in front of them both, landing with a low clunk on the bench. Naruki looks down at the ramen, a meal that once was the only thing he ever ate, and has to stop himself from throwing up at the sight of it. After years of living off of nothing but rations to survive, his stomach had shrunk considerably. Even the food they had given him whilst in the hospital had been too decadent for him. Now, looking down at this steaming bowl of soup, he thinks he might explode just from a single spoon. But, a glance to his side at Yuki shows him to have already devoured his way through one bowl, Teuchi placing a second down the moment he is finished. Not wanting to seem unusual, Naruki hesitantly grabs a soup spoon and takes a sip of the broth. It's salty, full of flavour but not too overwhelming. The taste casts his mind back to memories of afternoons spent chatting away with Teuchi and Ayame whilst demolishing bowl after bowl as the sun sets in the sky and he empties his pockets of change.

He has to stop a tear from escaping, and continues to eat. He only manages to make it halfway through the bowl before he has to stop. Yuki, by that time has already managed to devour four bowls, and is casting glances at him then at his half finished ramen. With a huff, Naruki pushes the unfinished food over to him, Yuki giving a smile in thanks before digging in.

"Could you not be a pig for one second, Yuki, please."

Entering the ramen stand, Minato takes the other seat on Naruki's right. Yuki flips him a rude gesture, and continues to eat, seemingly unsurprised by the interruption. "Hokage-sama." Teuchi greets with a small bow, "What can I get you?"

"Just the usual please, Teuchi-san."

"Coming right up."

Settling into his seat, Minato turns to Naruki and smiles, who only raises an eyebrow back. "I'm getting the feeling it's not a coincidence that you're here, Hokage-sama. What's up?"

Nose scrunching, Minato waves a hand. "Call me Minato, please. 'Hokage-sama' makes me sound stuffy and old." Nodding his assent, Naruki waits for Minato to receive his food and begins digging in before pushing any further.

"So?"

"Right, so," wiping a bit of broth of his chin, Minato turns to fully face Naruki. "I was wondering what kind of military system you had in your village, whether it was similar to ours or completely different."

Feeling the ramen begin to settle uncomfortably in his stomach, Naruki shifts under his father's stare. "Well, up until the mutiny our ranking system for shinobi was fairly similar to that of most other hidden villages. After, however, rank stopped mattering. All that mattered was whether or not you could live long enough to survive. The only ones with ranks that actually mattered were the team leaders."

His father nods slowly, processing his words, Yuki eating slower to do the same. "What rank were you, then?" Yuki asks.

"Officially? I only ever made it to Genin."

Choking slightly on his ramen, Minato chugs back a glass of water to clear his throat. Yuki also is looking at him with wide eyes in surprise.

"Genin?" Yuki asks as Minato beats on his chest to clear his airways. "With how advanced Tsunade-sama told us your chakra coils are, we thought you were at least a Jounin."

"Whenever it was time for me to advance, something always got in the way." He says, shrugging a little embarrassedly. "And then by the time the mutiny started, advancing my rank on a piece of paper just didn't seem to matter anymore."

Finally regaining himself, Minato looks over.

"Unofficially, then, what rank would you say you were?"

Another shrug.

"At the very least, Jounin."

A long considering pause descends.

"Would you still like to be a shinobi, then? For Konoha, this time?"

Eyes widening, Naruki stares at Minato in shock.

"Can that be done?"

"If I put in a good word for you, sure."

At loss for words, Naruki contemplates the opportunity being handed to him. On the one hand, having to answer to the Hokage all the time could restrict the amount of freedom he had to act under the radar within the village. On the other hand, he might be able to gain knowledge that he would otherwise not be privy too if he wasn't a shinobi employed by the village.

If he were being honest with himself however, the larger part of him just ached to proudly wear the Konohagakure village headband across his forehead once more.

"Yes," he finally answers, "I would like that."

"Good." Minato says, breaking into a smile. Humming slightly to himself, Minato eats his ramen in contemplation, Yuki having finished off his six bowls and doing the same. A look passes between the two of them, a question in Minato's eyes to which Yuki gives a shrug and a non-committal jerk of the head. Breaking apart from their silent conversation, Minato points at Naruki with his chopsticks.

"Obviously I can't promote you to jounin right away. One, you're story is still being investigated, and two, your village could have completely different standards for shinobi."

"Okay." Naruki says slowly, "then what does that mean"

"It means, Naruki" Yuki says, "that we are going to test you!"

* * *

Taking in a deep, slow breath, Sakura relaxes into a low stance, left foot out in front with her toes pointed frontwards whilst her right leg slides back, toes facing the side. Her left fist is raised and clenched in front of her face, the other resting next to her ear in a standard western style boxing position. Hair tied back in a low bun to keep her hair from obscuring her face, she takes in the five clones of her teammate that stand in front of her forming a semi-circle.

Catching the eyes of the clone right in front of her, she nods.

Immediately, the clones burst into action. The first one to reach her goes for a simple jab, to which she responds by dodging inside of his guard and throwing a punch into the centre of his chest and causing him to dispel. Dropping to the ground, she delivers a sweeping kick to the ankles of two other clones that had been approaching from behind, standing over them both in a matter of seconds to deliver two swift jabs to their jugulars, the clones disappearing also in a burst of smoke.

 _Two more to go._

The smoke momentarily obscurs her view, and in that time one of Naruto's remaining clones manages to land a solid punch to her stomach, leaving her momentarily winded. The kick that follows connects with her nose and sends her flying backwards onto the ground, stars bursting across her vision and blood flowing from her broken nose. Still disorientated, she only has a nano second to roll out of the way as a heel comes down to connect with where her face had previously been, using her rolling momentum to regain her feet. With a yell, she grabs the collar of the clone that had tried to stomp on her and throws him into a nearby tree. She smiles in satisfaction when the clone disappears, feeling the ache in her nose respond to the change in facial expression with pain.

 _Last one._

Taking in the clone, she allows herself one small second of rest, before she bursts into action. Appearing in front of him, she sends a swift roundhouse to his ribs, to which Naruto blocks with a forearm, pushing the kick away to unbalance her and then closing in for a jab to the face. She dodges by falling into a backflip, the top of her foot connecting with the underside of his face and sending him a small distance into the air and then to the floor. Regaining her feet, she looks at the clone for a second with baited breath. When he too bursts into a puff of smoke, she feels a joyful smile spread across her face.

"Hell yeah!" She shouts in glee, "take that you stupid clones!"

"Shit Sakura-chan! You were fucking awesome! Kakashi-sensei was right, learning how to first use taijutsu against multiple enemies without chakra has made you into a real powerhouse. And then imagine when you do actually start putting chakra into your punches as well. You'll be unstoppable!" Naruto says, appearing from the trees with an equally happy and impressed smile on his face. Feeling proud of herself, she doesn't even bother reprimanding him for his language. Instead, she bounces over to her teammate and places a quick peck on his check, enjoying his dumbfounded expression.

"Thanks for coming out to train with me, Naruto. You're the best." She smiles. Composing himself, Naruto scratches the back of his head with a sheepish smile, turning away to try to hide the blush adorning his cheeks. "Yeah well." He mumbles. "It was no problem, really. And, uh, sorry about your nose by the way." He says, looking apologetically at the steady stream of blood flowing from her nose and the bruise blooming across her cheek. Feeling at the injuries, she jerks her nose back into place with a harsh tug, causing Naruto to wince, and then immediately begins applying chakra to the wound to heal it.

"Don't worry about it. I told you to give me everything you've got and you did. I would have been more insulted if you had held back."

Still, Naruto looks uneasy despite the steadily healing wounds on her face. Ripping off a piece of bandage tied to his leg, he tries to wipe away the blood from her face, to which she lets him with an endearing smile.

"I really hope you didn't accidently punch Sakura-chan in the face again, Naruto, or else I'm not sure we'll be able to save you from her anger this time."

Startling slightly, both Sakura and Naruto whip their heads around to the source of the voices, a smile blooming across Sakura's face whilst Naruto tries to hide his under a pout.

"That happened one time! Once! And that was only because Sasuke-teme got me in a stupid genjutsu and I thought she was some kind of killer octopus!"

Sighing slightly in exasperation at her teammates antics, she gives a quick bow to the steadily approaching Hokage and Yuki. She knew both these men quite well from the many instances her and the rest of her team had enjoyed dinner at their house, and so now the Uzumaki house was like a second home to her.

"Hello there Sakura-chan." Yuki greets, the Hokage giving a similar greeting. "Have the two of you been training?"

Puffing out her chest with pride, she nods. "Yup, Naruto's been helping me practise the taijutsu Tsunade-sensei has been teaching me, and I've been showing him how to control his chakra better."

"Where's Sasuke?" The Hokage asks, looking around the area as if he expects the Uchiha to materialize from the trees.

"He had to babysit one of his younger cousins." Naruto says with a little glee. "Though he looked pretty panicked about how to look after a toddler all by himself"

Smacking Naruto lightly for his obvious glee at Sasuke's discomfort, she rolls her eyes. Turning back to the two men in front of her, she raises an eyebrow in question. "So what brings you both here?"

"Well," The Hokage says, now looking a bit hesitant, "we had someone that we wanted Naruto to meet, actually." Perking up at the sound of his name, Naruto looks to his father then to Yuki. "Yeah? Who?"

"My brother." The Hokage says, angling his body to wave forward a figure that Sakura only just now sees. "Your uncle."

Naruto draws in a surprised gasp of air, Sakura doing the same. Up until now, neither of them had noticed the figure lurking a small distance away. But now that she and Naruto did see him, neither could believe they had overlooked him in the first place.

 _Wow, he looks a lot like the Hokage._

The figure that is walking towards them looks a little pale and blank faced at the sight of them, obviously uncomfortable to be at the centre of so much attention. He has the same bright hair that both the Hokage and Naruto have, however his body is smaller than the Hokages, more lithe muscle than the strong curves she knows the Hokage to hold and what she knows Naruto will one day have as well. His eyes have dark circles around them, and are different from Naruto's and the Hokages, darker, almost as if someone had taken the original blue and added undertones of red. He has the same whisker marks that Naruto has, three on each cheek, but whilst Naruto's serve more as a character quirk than anything (much like Sakura's own pink hair) this mans ones give him an animalistic edge. He is also tanner then the Hokage and Naruto, skin obviously marred from long hours in the sun.

All in all however, despite the obvious differences, these three men were definitely related. Walking slowly to stand at the Hokage's side, the man sketches a small bow to Naruto and herself. "Namikaze Naruki," he says, voice gravelly with an emotion Sakura can't quite pinpoint. "Nice to meet you both." Here, his eyes flicker ever so slightly to her, a look almost like recognition sparking between them before the moment is broken.

Etiquette taking over, she bows back and gives a smile. "I'm Haruno Sakura. Nice to meet you too."

She tries to meet his gaze again, but the newly introduced Naruki refuses to look at anything but the dirt beneath their feet. Naruto had stopped looking dumbfounded long enough to give his own little bow. "Uzumaki Naruto. Nice to meet you."

The first flicker of emotion passes across the newly introduced Naruki's face, curiosity lined with apprehension. "Uzumaki?" He asks, turning to the Hokage. "Not Namikaze?"

"No," Minato answer solemnly. "My wife and Yuki are both apart of the Uzumaki clan who hailed from Uzushiogakure. They were destroyed because of their sealing abilities during the war, and so now only a handful of them remain. I thought it important then that Naruto and any other of our future children hold the Uzumaki name, to keep my wifes legacy alive."

Naruki nods slowly, processing that information.

"Alright, enough history! When were one of you old gas bags gonna tell me that I had another uncle, huh?"

Naruto, seemingly having become impatient with the "old" people talking, was now bouncing in front of the three men in barely concealed excitement.

"We just learnt about him a couple of weeks ago, brat." Yuki grumbles, hands on hips as he bends at the waist to look at his nephew. Naruto, never one to be beaten, looks right back up at his uncle with a challenging look adorning his face. "Then you had two whole weeks to let me know!"

Face palming, Sakura sees a familiar expression of exasperation on the Hokages face. "Naruto, Yuki, stop it would you. Naruto, you're supposed to be getting to know your new uncle, not lowering yourself to the level of your older one."

"Hey!" Yuki shouts, tearing himself away from his staring contest with Naruto to look at the Hokage. Naruto just looks smug for a second, before turning back to Naruki, who has been watching the whole exchange with an indecipherable expression on his face.

 _He acts a lot more like an enemy shinobi in dangerous lands than a welcomed family member to the Hokage._

Squinting up at his new uncle, Naruto seems to be deliberating how to handle the situation in front of him. He circles around Naruki for a second, taking in the obviously borrowed clothes, the shared features, and the stiff posture. Naruki lets him, no one saying a word as Naruto takes in his new family member as if Naruki were a mildly interesting specimen and Naruto a scientist.

Finally, he stops his circling, gives a satisfied nod, and turns back towards his father. "I like him." He says bluntly. "Can he live with us?"

Sakura, the Hokage and Yuki all immediately breathe a sigh of relief at Naruto decision, however no one is surprised. Naruto had a tendency to take in strays, a trait passed down predominantly through his mother's side. Naruki gives a small, genuine smile at the decision.

"Thank you, Naruto-kun." He says a little formally. "But I wouldn't want to intrude on you and your family."

"Nonsense." The Hokage cuts in, "if I let you stay anywhere else but with us, my wife will have my head. Besides," his says, voice softening, "you are family now."

"Are you sure?" Naruki asks, seemingly unsure, "I can just stay at a hotel, I don't mind."

"Honestly," Sakura finally pipes up, "I wouldn't bother wasting your breath arguing with this lot. You'll just end up with a headache."

Naruki's surprised gaze flickers to her, and for a second there's such a strong feeling of loss and sadness and loyalty directed towards her that she feels like she's been hit with a truck. Seeing her change in expression, Naruki abruptly closes his off, moment of vulnerability gone as if it had never existed. With a put upon sigh, he looks to the three Uzumaki and Namikaze men, and laughs in defeat.

"I guess if I have no choice, then. Besides, I wouldn't want to get on the bad side of your pregnant wife."

Smiling, Yuki pats him on the back whilst Naruto and the Hokage smirk. Truly, Sakura ponders to herself, the man had no choice in the matter at all.

* * *

He hadn't expected that.

Naruki trails slowly behind Minato and his younger self who were talking animatedly about the training he was doing for the upcoming chunin exams ("Just under two months," Yuki had told him when he had asked. "We decided to let the kids know earlier about the exams this year, to give them more time to train.") and having said goodbye to Sakura at the training grounds, whilst he and Yuki walk in silence after them. It was strange, he mused, to see this younger version of himself. Strange in an out of body, I-can't-believe-that's-really-me way. Naruki had seen clones of himself many times before, as a young genin and then a jaded jounin, but this was something different. This Naruto, despite having most of his features, was a completely different person to himself. He was taller than Naruto was at this age and had better muscle definition, most likely a result of his better nurturing by his mother and father. He spoke more eloquently than Naruki himself ever had as well, and held his head high with pride in his lineage. The one, main difference however that Naruki couldn't seem to get past, was his eyes. Even at a young age, Naruki had looked into the mirror and saw his own hopeless loneliness reflected back at him. This boy however, this child, had none of that. He had friends and a family and a home to call his own. He had lived a life full of love and care, and had flourished under the attention.

It takes Naruki a second to recognise the emotion curling like a green beast in his stomach, so familiar from his earlier days when he had watched his friends go home with their parents, led along by a steady hand and a calm smile. But this, this was worse, knowing that this was the exact life he could have had if things hadn't of gone so horribly wrong. The jealousy spreads like miasma throughout his insides, leaving a burning trail in its wake.

" **This wasn't yours to have."**

" _That doesn't make me feel any better."_ He growls back.

" **Think of it this way."** Kurama says, " **If you hadn't of gone through everything you did, suffered the pains that you have, who would be here to save these people from their own inevitable demise?"**

" _I'm tired of being everyone's damn saviour, Kurama. When is it my turn to be happy? Besides, for all we know this dimension is completely safe! So far, everything that was broken in my dimension is fixed in this one. What's the point in me being here, then. These people may wear the faces of the dead, but they aren't_ _ **my**_ _people. They're all happier without me. It would be a hell of a lot easier for everyone if I just found some hole to die in."_

" **If Sakura heard you talking like that, she'd bury you in that hole herself."** Kurama finally snaps, temper crashing to the surface like a tidal wave. " **Do you really take their lives so lightly? They all sacrificed everything for you so that you could live! And now you want to go and run away and die like some pathetic coward?"**

" _What does it matter if I save these people from some unconfirmed threat? For all we know he's already dead!"_ Naruki shouts, the internal conversation with Kurama making his hands shake. " _This is an alternate dimension. Changing things won't bring back the people I love!"_

" **They are still here, you idiot! Or did you not see that little girl!?"**

" _She's not_ _ **my**_ _Sakura!"_ He screams.

" **But that little girl is a version of her, and her essence is still buried within her blood and bones. Would you really condemn her and the rest of them to die!?"**

The memory of the little girl spreads across his mind, large and violent and laced with an air of loss so overwhelming that Naruki stumbles because of it. She's smaller than he remembers, hair longer too but held back in a low bun that Naruki has never seen her wear before. She was different than the Sakura he had known at this age, but closer to the one he had come to love as a sister later on in his dimension. Her smile still lights up her face the way _his_ Sakura's had though, blinding him with its purity.

" _I'm Haruno Sakura. Nice to meet you too."_

"Fuck." Naruki whispers. Yuki, hearing him, casts a raised eyebrow his way. "Nothing," Naruki says, "just remembered something."

"Something important?" Yuki asks, tone sounding both curious and and disinterested at the same time.

"Very." He answers, his tone obviously holding no room for further questions. Thankfully, in a show of tact Naruki is beginning to appreciate about Yuki, he doesn't ask any more questions.

* * *

"Here's where you will be staying."

The room Kushina has led him too is sparsely furnished, a single bed and side table the only furniture inside. Obviously a spare room, then. Walking inside, Naruki looks at the room for a second, then turns back around to face Kushina.

"Honestly," he says, "I can stay somewhere else. I don't want to get in your way."

"Don't be stupid." Kushina huffs, not even taking the time to consider his offer, instead bustling over to the bed to turn down the covers and put some spare pajamas on the floor. "The bathroom is down the hall and to your right. Dinner should be ready in an hour. I'll get Naruto to grab you once it's ready." And with that she goes to leave. Just before she exits the room however, Naruki stops her with a soft hand on her shoulder. She turns to face him, looking down at his hand on her and then back up at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Why…" Naruki fumbles for words. "Why are you doing this for me? You barely know me."

Her lips purse into a sad line at his question. Naruki has always been a man to hide his emotions, a skill taught to him from a very young age. Being vulnerable was the kind of shit that got you killed in his world. But with Kushina, there was something about her that stripped him raw and open. Hand rising to cup his cheek, Kushina smiles softly at him.

"Because I know what it's like to be a refugee in a strange place whilst mourning those you've lost."

He looks into her pale green eyes, so full of understanding and compassion, that he can't help but smile softly back at her. It's stilted, and maybe even a little broken, but it's one of the first genuine smiles he's managed to express in years. Sensing the moment to be over, Kushina gives his shoulder a parting squeeze, before turning to exit the room and closing the door behind her.

Throwing himself onto the bed, he places an arm over his eyes and feels the hole within his chest grow.

"Godammit Jiraiya." He snarls. "Why did you have to give that damn defective seal to me?"

 _Jiraiya and Naruto sit side by side at Ichiraku ramen, both men staring into their respective bowls of ramen but neither willing to eat._

" _You're leaving soon?" Naruto asks._

" _Yes." Jiraiya answers. "I have an...important errand I need to run, related to the Akatsuki."_

" _Can't I come with you for backup?"_

" _And deliver to the Akatsuki one of the last remaining Jinchuriki? I don't think so, brat."_

 _Knowing the truth of his words but not liking it the tiniest bit, Naruto looks back down into his rapidly cooling bowl of ramen._

" _You worry too much." Jiraiya grumbles, "if I knew you were going to turn into such a mother hen of a student, I wouldn't of taken you under my wing in the first place!"_

 _Far from being insulted, Naruto simply rolls his eyes. They both knew that wasn't true._

" _Look," Jiraiya finally says, tone sobering. "I have something to give you."_

 _Reaching into his pouch, Jiraiya withdraws a large scroll, bound tight with a seal. Pulling a face, Naruto groans. "You're giving me homework? That's cruel, Ero-sennin!"_

" _It's not homework, brat." Jiraiya says, cuffing Naruto over the head. "It's actually my life's greatest work."_

 _Raising an eyebrow skeptically, Naruto looks at the scroll in a different light. "Oh? What is it then, more porn?" The smack he gets this time stings a lot more. "No." Jiraiya says, looking for a second like he regretted all his life decisions. "It's a timetravel seal, and can only be activated by someone holding the toad contract."_

 _Naruto looks at his sensei, then the scroll, and back to Jiraiya. "Your fucking with me, right?"_

" _I'm really not." Jiraiya disagrees._

 _Tension coiling in his gut, Naruto backs slightly away from the scroll with a look of apprehension in his eyes. "Why are you giving this to me?"_

 _Ignoring the question, Jiraiya grabs Naruto by the shoulders. "This seal is something I started developing after the war, and only recently completed. But remember, Naruto, it's only to be used as a last resort, okay? When you activate this seal and go back, the timeline and everyone in it is erased. So, if you ever do use it, make sure that there are absolutely no other possibilities left."_

" _I don't understand sensei," Naruto says, "why are you giving this to me?" He repeats. "What do you think is going to happen?"_

" _I don't know, Naruto. For all I know, everything could turn out fine in the end. But I've lived far too long to be that optimistic, and I need to know that there is hope to fix things. But you must promise me that you will only use it if absolutely necessary, okay?"_

" _Sensei, I don't-"_

" _Promise me, Naruto!"_

 _Naruto has only ever seen that kind of raw desperation in his sensei's face once before, the expression a distant memory through a haze of red chakra and hatred. Taking in a deep, shaky breath, Naruto nods._

" _I promise."_

Shortly after Jiraiya's death, Naruto had unraveled the scroll and studied the intricate designs day and night for two weeks, not eating or sleeping at all until Sakura had eventually burst into his room and knocked him out cold. When he had awoken, she had been at his hospital bedside with his hand in hers, tears streaming down her face.

" _Please, Naruto."_ She had cried around snot and sorrow. " _You can't leave me too."_

After that, he had sealed the scroll away in one of the storage seals located on his body, and forced himself not to think about it. And for a time, he had been successful, too busy caught up in deciphering Jiraiya's dying message, getting strong, defeating Pain, rebuilding his village and trying to bring Sasuke back to even consider it. The second time he had even thought about using the seal was shortly after the war, when Ino and Shikamaru both looked at him from the graves of their parents whilst he stood laying flowers on Neji's. However, the war was won, the village still stood, and so the scroll stayed tucked away inside of his seals.

After the mutiny, he took the scroll out every night. He would look at the seal underneath the dying embers of light and trace the precise brushstrokes that his sensei had meticulously painted years beforehand. But even then, amongst the falling number of his comrades, even after Iruka had died bravely in the first attacks trying to escort his students out of the village via an underground tunnel only to be crushed to death as it collapsed, there had still been hope. People who lived despite all odds, who rose from the rubble and made a life from the dust. Naruto had promised his sensei that he would not activate the seal unless _absolutely necessary,_ and there had been too many people still trying to live their lives for him to even think about erasing them from existence.

And then Orochimaru had gone and made the choice a whole lot easier by killing the last of those that he loved.

Not bothering to remove his shoes, Naruki curls into a ball on top of the blankets on his bed, and tries to sink into the low hum of silence that surrounds him.

* * *

Yuki, to Naruki's absolute horror, hadn't been joking when he and Minato said that they would be testing him. He just didn't think they had meant it quite so literally.

"I hate you." Naruki moans with his head on the kitchen table, having finished turning in his test paper after over two hours trying to dredge up what little he could remember from the academy. "If someone offered me one million ryo to kill you, I'd reject their offer and do it for free."

"You know," Minato said, trying and failing to hide his amusement as he finishes marking Naruki's test, "some would consider that treasonous, especially since you managed to pass the combined genin and chunin exam, meaning I'm now technically your leader."

Happy at the news he passed, but still feeling worn out from what was probably the most mental exercise he had done since his first chunin exam, Naruki doesn't comment.

"Here."

Something cool is rested against his cheek, and Naruki opens one eye to squint at it. Upon seeing the reflective metal he springs up, suddenly full of life, and grabs the headband from Minato's hands. Not wasting any time, he ties the blue fabric around his forehead, enjoying the comfortable and familiar weight of his headband resting where it belonged. One hand reaching up, he traces the indent of the stylized leaf etched into the metal, and feels something within him settle.

"Thanks." He says, smiling up at Minato. The Hokage simply shrugs, and stands to wipe away imaginary dust from his knees.

"Now that we've gotten the boring part out of the way, it's time for the fun part!"

Feeling suspicious, Naruki narrows his eyes.

"Fun?"

The smile that spreads across Minato's face is downright predatory. Before Naruki can stop him, the man places a hand on his shoulder, and next thing Naruki knows the floor beneath his feet disappears and the world around him is swirling in a tumble of dark emptiness. The familiar feeling of being jerked into a vortex sends panic through him, but the reassuring hand on his shoulder stops him from reacting violently. Just as suddenly, they are jerked back out of the void and into the sun, Naruki falling to one knee as he tries to regain his bearing and dislodging Minato's hand on his shoulder. Feeling his stomach turn with nausea, Naruki tries to stop himself from throwing up.

"What the fuck," Naruki groans around rising bile, "was that."

"Sorry," Minato says, poorly disguised laughter in his voice, "I should've given you some kind of warning. That was my jutsu the Hiraishin, which allows me to teleport to any place within the village that has my tags."

Taking in a few more deep breathes, Naruki, no longer feeling like he might puke everywhere, stands up slowly. Looking around them, Naruki takes in the yellowing grass of the training field around them and the trees slowly losing their leaves.

"Alright," he says, "what's this 'fun' part then?"

"A duel."

"Oh?" Naruki asks, feeling his curiosity and excitement levels rising, "against who?"

Snapping his fingers, Minato doesn't even startle when a shadow detaches itself from the surrounding trees to materialize into a male figure, all straight lines and short black hair. As the figure strolls further into the clearing, the sunlight highlights his features in an instant, showing off warped scars racing across half of the mans face and two dark black eyes that seemed to swallow up the sun.

"This here," Minato says cheerfully, "Is another one of my students, Uchiha Obito. And this, Obito, is my brother."

Obito looks him up and down, taking in his appearance with a forced nonchalance, grunting a little in greeting and throwing up a reluctant wave.

"Hey."

Naruki's earlier urge to vomit returns.

* * *

Observing from the sidelines as Naruki and Obito look at each other waiting for the signal to begin, Minato barely flinches when Kakashi materializes at his side.

"Why?"

Minato glances to Kakashi at his side, who is uncharacteristically radiating with tension beside him. His book stays safely tucked in his flak jacket pockets, and he stands ramrod straight.

"Relax, Kakashi."

"You know I can't do that."

Rolling his eyes back to the fight, Minato sighs. "Obito will be fine. He's been on active duty for nearly five years now. This fight will be good for him to relax, finally fight someone who's not actively trying to kill him. You can't keep babysitting him forever."

"Watch me."

Another sigh. Deciding to ignore his student, Minato walks slightly forwards to the middle of the field. Looking to them, he gives both men a grim nod of luck, and lifts his hand into the air.

"No killing or unnecessary maiming. Everything else is allowed. The fight ends when I'm satisfied. Now, on my mark..."

Obito immediately activates his one sharingan, relaxing into a pose that is both Uchiha and something else. Naruki seems to pause for a second at the change in the man's eye, his mouth thinning into a line, before relaxing into his own stance.

Slicing his hand down towards the ground, he shouts. "Fight!"

Both men immediately burst into action, Obito withdrawing a handful of kunai and flipping them one after another at Naruki. Crouching slightly, Naruki uncoils like a spring and dodges to the left of the oncoming projectiles. Too late however, Naruki sees the wires attached to the blades. With a tug, Obito changes the direction of the weapons, sending them back towards Naruki. Grunting, Naruki places shoves his two hands out in opposite directions, palms facing out. Twin gusts of air burst from his hands, one pushing Obito and sending him skidding to the ground, and the other causing the weapons to disappear in the opposite direction as the tension in the wire reaches maximum and snaps.

"That was impressive." Kakashi remarks with something almost like awe. "To perform such a powerful wind jutsu like that with no hand signs at all is pretty amazing."

Obito is quick to regain his feet, but even from the sidelines Minato can see the smallest twitch of the lips on Obito's face, followed by the narrowing of his eyes.

"You're not too bad for a skinny shit-head." Obito says, smirk clear in his voice. Naruki's answering laugh is hoarse. "Wish I could say the same, ass-face." Far from offending the Uchiha however, the older man lets out a surprised laugh.

"I like your brother, sensei. He's got spunk."

"Yeah well," Minato shouts at them from the side, "try not to kill him, would you? If he really is a spy, we'll want to torture him for information first!"

The middle finger Naruki shoots him Minato feels is completely undeserved. However, in that small second of distraction, Obito has appeared just below and in front of Naruki via a dimension pocket he opened with his sharingan. Bracing his hands on the ground, he sends a kick to the underside of Naruki's chin, sending him flying up into the air. In the next second, he's teleported himself just above Naruki where he estimates his highest point of flight to be, clenches his two fists together high, and sends the younger man smashing to the ground with a double fist to the side of the head.

Kakashi lets out a low whistle. "That was mean, Obito."

Landing on the ground softly, Obito ignores his former teammate, eyeing the small crater that had formed with watchful eyes. He watches, squints, and then widens his eyes in surprise. He is just in time to raise a hand to restrict the wire Naruto had picked up off the ground from tightening around his throat, allowing himself a small reprise by phasing back out into a pocket and then behind Naruki once more, the wire falling uselessly to the ground. He goes to deliver another fist to Naruki's head, but is surprised to find his fist sailing right sailing right through Naruki's head, the younger man dispelling in a swirl of wind that slices his arm up with it's blades.

 _A wind clone!_

He's unable to block the kunai that Naruki stabs into his leg, but manages to shift enough at the last minute to have it stab into his thigh then into his more important tendons. Forming the hand signals, he releases a fire jutsu point blank at the younger man to put some distance between them, the jutsu surging throughout the clearing in a raging inferno. Flipping away to a safe distance, Obito takes the small respite to remove the kunai from his leg, wincing slightly when he does.

"Stop worrying, Kakashi." He shouts in the general direction of the spectators without looking at them. "I'm fine, dick face!" He receives only a small almost imperceptible grunt in return. Turning his attention back to the fight, he feels his eyes widen in involuntary wonder. Fire is supposed to be weak against wind, as it fans the flames and makes them too hard to control. Obito had been counting on this jutsu to buy him the time he needed to recoup.

He hadn't counted on this.

In the very centre, Obito sees that Naruki has formed a kind of protective circle around himself, any flames within its immediate vicinity having the air forcibly removed from them and causing them to die without a sound, the ferocity of Naruki' wind nature too much for the simple but strong fire jutsu to handle.

"Well, shit." Obito says, "that's some of the best wind nature work I've ever seen."

Naruki's answering grin is practically feral, and if anyone were to look any closer they would see that the marks on his cheeks had deepened.

"I had a good teacher. Besides, you haven't seen anything yet."

"Okay, that's enough."

Both Obito and Naruki startle at the sudden interruption, looking to Minato with twin looks of confusion, though Obito's is a bit more subtle.

"Huh?" Naruki shouts, "but we were just getting started!" Obito's quirked eyebrow shows his obvious agreement.

"Maybe so." MInato says, "but I've seen enough to grant you the position of Jounin now. Your Taijutsu and Ninjutsu are without a doubt Jounin level, no competition, and your skill at devising unorthodox plans is considerable as well. I'm certain you still have many skills left to show us, but I've seen enough to be satisfied. Besides," here, Minato glances slightly behind him at Kakashi, "if it let this go on any longer, Kakashi might just burst out of his skin with worry. Go deal with him, would you, Obito?"

Rolling his eyes, Obito hobbles slightly over to Kakashi with a very put upon sigh. Immediately, Kakashi begins to fuss over him as much as Kakashi ever did, with a lot of hovering and intense stares. After a small while, Obito seems to get sick of it, because he throws his hands up in frustration and limps off, Kakashi trailing closely behind.

"That's kind of weird to see." Naruki remarks, eyes still on the retreating backs of the two shinobi. Already knowing what Naruki is referring too, Minato shrugs. "Obito and Kakashi have been best friends for years. At one point there, we thought Obito was dead. After that, a lot of...bad things happened, but ultimately we ended up getting him back. Ever since however, Kakashi has been a bit of an insufferable mother hen to everybody, but especially Obito."

Naruki nods solemnly. "I understand."

The glance Minato throws him is slightly sad, full of meaning, but it is quickly closed off. Instead of saying anything, Minato withdraws a Jounin flak jacket from one of his seals and holds it out to Naruki with a big smile.

"Well done on becoming an official Konoha Jounin!"

* * *

Inside his mindscape, Kurama growls at the Uchiha, his hackles rising protectively every time the man gets too close to his host. His entire being seeks to release his chakra throughout Naruki's body and destroy his long time enemy, itching to kill the man who nearly destroyed the entire world. His soul rives with the need for revenge, wanting to lash out and hurt and-

 _Calm._

Kurama's anger stutters to a halt with surprise, the voice ringing throughout his head sounding both foreign and familiar. The presence is powerful and overwhelming, pushing down on all of Kurama's senses and smothering him with its presence.

" **Who are you!"** Kurama growls, flicking his tails around him protectively and digging his claws into the ground.

 _Be calm. You don't want your host to be exposed, do you?_

Knowing the annoying disembodied voice to be right, Kurama forces him to take in deep breathes and to detach himself from the fight currently taking place. Slowly, he feels his influence ebb away from Naruki's chakra, the brat so caught up in his fight that he had barely noticed Kurama's influence and then withdrawal. Regaining himself, Kurama casts another glance around at his surroundings, the sewer darker and more desolate then it used to be if that were possible.

" **Who are you?"** Kurama asks again, this time his voice more contained. The faceless voice laughs, deep and throaty and holding a quiet ferocity similar to a sleeping dragon.

 _A friend._

" **That doesn't answer my question."**

 _It's really not all that hard to figure out who I am. Your brain is just too scrambled by my sudden appearance at the moment to comprehend it._

Kurama huffs.

" **I don't have the time nor the patience for your games, asshole."** He growls. " **Tell me who you are!"**

The voice sighs.

 _Fine_

A sudden fire picks up in the mindscape, strong and ferocious, whipping Kurama's tails around him in a frenzy of activity. He flattens his ears against his head to protect from the flames, and glares into the centre of the storm as a large, animalistic figure pulls in and out of focus. The fire dissipates just as suddenly, leaving only the animal. Kurama growls in surprise, before crouching in preparation for an attack.

The Kyuubi looks back at Kurama, huffing an exasperated breath of air in and out through his nose.

" **We need to talk."**

* * *

Authors Note.

Yo, sorry about the late update, writer's block hit me like a motherfucker and I wrote (not even kidding) ten different versions of this chapter before I was even slightly satisfied. Hope you enjoyed it though, and please be sure to leave a review telling me what you think!


	5. Developing Alliances

A/N: So uhhh sorry for the long wait guys, I kinda wrote myself into a metaphorical corner the last chapter but I managed to dig myself out, and hopefully I've made up for the long wait with this huge chapter! It's over 11000 words! I remember when I was thirteen and even just writing 4000 words was huge for me, so look at me now!

This chapter has a lot of "filler" things I guess you could say, but I figured it was important to show the developing relationships between the characters before I got into the nitty gritty. This was also a more light hearted chapter than usual, because it can't be all doom and gloow. Don't worry though, next chapter is going to be more heavily plot based and move the story forward quite a bit!

Be sure to drop me a review and let me know what you think!

* * *

 **"Brat."** Kurama growls from inside his mind. **"You'd better get down here."**

 _Kurama?_ Naruki asks, tone worried. When he receives no answer other than a huff of breath, Naruki lies back onto his futon, closes his eyes, and falls.

When he opens his eyes again, he is no longer within his room that Kushina had situated him in, but instead standing ankle deep in water amongst a desolate sewer, Kurama staring curiously down at him. He feels relief pour through him, only to be replaced with annoyance when Naruki see's there to be no threat.

"What is it?" Naruki says, not bothering to keep the bite out of his tone.

" **Wrong one, brat."**

Naruki stares up at Kurama for a beat, confused. Sure, the voice certainly _sounded_ like Kurama's, but Naruki hadn't seen the fox's lips move. He narrowed his eyes up at his companion, whose expression seemed to be growing more and more amused by the second.

Something taps Naruki on the shoulder, and the blond man lets out a yelp in fright and whirls around to face his would-be attacker, falling into a defensive stance.

He has to resist the urge to slap himself when he sees another Kurama standing behind him with a faintly pissed off expression.

"Uh." Is all he manages to force out.

The Kurama he is now facing rolls his eyes so hard Naruki fears they might fall out, and cuffs him over the top of the head with one of his tails.

" **Yes, idiot, there's two of us, and yes, I am the 'real' Kurama."**

Giving himself a bit of a mental shake, Naruki angles himself slightly so he can take in the two demon foxes in front of him. Now that's he's looking at the both of them, he's able to make out a few differences. While his Kurama looks slightly feral and ungroomed, the one in front of sits back on its hind legs with its tales swishing around him with a kind of regal ferocity.

"Well." Naruki tries, then stops, unsure of what to say. "This-" he tries again, but the words fail him once more. Finally, he settles on breathing out a very quiet "Fuck."

Kurama snorts, stalking over to stand with Naruki standing between its front legs, tails coming out to curl almost protectively around the two of them. Instinctively, Naruki places a comforting hand on the paw closest to him, squeezing slightly.

" **He appeared during your fight with Obito."** Kurama informs him. **"When we both started losing control. He says that we need to talk."**

Naruki turns to the Kyuubi in front of him. "Okay." Naruki clips out, eyes narrowing dangerously. "Then talk."

" **Why the hostility?"** The Kyuubi asks with genuine puzzlement. **"Did I not just help you conceal your identity from those around you?"**

"Well, there's one question then, isn't there." Naruki snaps, "How do you know about us?"

" **It really wasn't that hard to figure out."** The Kyuubi commented dryly. **"A man with the same colouring and facial features as both Minato and Kushina suddenly appears with another version of myself sealed within him? It's child's play to figure out once you know all of that that you are a future version of my host."**

" **How did you know I was sealed within him?"** Kurama asks.

" **I can feel your chakra."** The Kyuubi replies simply **. "You and your host share similar traits to mine and Naruto's, which shouldn't surprise me I guess, considering who you are."**

"How come you could feel us, though, and we not feel you?"

The Kyuubi considers him. **"To be honest, I'm not surprised you didn't feel me. It's like how if you borrowed someone's t-shirt you would immediately be able to smell their scent on it, whereas in your own clothes you smell nothing. It's too familiar to you."**

"Shouldn't our chakra have been familiar to you also then? Too familiar for you to detect?"

" **Mm, that was a question I was going to ask you, actually."** The Kyuubi stalk closer to the both Naruki and Kurama, both tensing when the other demon fox stops a hair breadth away, and gives an experimental sniff at the air.

" **Your chakra is like mine and Naruto's, yes, but there's also traces of my siblings in it, though faint now."** One of the Kyuubi's ears flicks backwards, the only sign of discomfort he shows. **"Now, how did that happen?"** The Kyuubi drawls.

 _Ah,_ Naruki realizes, and feels Kurama stiffening behind him with the same epiphany.

"The time I came from," Naruki speaks, choosing his words carefully, "your siblings shared their chakra with me. Most of its gone now, but I guess enough of it remains for someone like you to be able to sense."

The Kyuubi gives them both a considering look, before backing away slightly.

Kurama, after having spent a considerable amount of time quiet, finally speaks. **"Why are you here?"** he asks. **"Why did you help us?"**

The Kyuubi tilts his head in confusion. **"Should I not have?"**

Kurama growls, feeling the last of us patience snap and is only held back from getting into his counter-parts face by the tightening of the hand on his paw. **"Cut the bullshit. You said you wanted to talk, so spit it out already! What do you want!?"**

Something sad enters the Kyuubi's expression, but it's gone as quickly as it appears. **"Look,"** the Kyuubi says finally, **"I know that for whatever reason, you both came back here to try and prevent whatever happened in your time from happening in this one. And,"** the look the fox gives Naruki seems to pierce his very soul, **"I know that the only thing that could ever make Uzumaki Naruto have such empty eyes is if something truly terrible happened."**

Naruki feels as full body flinch run through him at that comment, and has to look away. The Kyuubi sighs. **"I have been sealed within Naruto for nearing on thirteen years now, and let's just say in that time I've become fond him and those he cares for. If I can do something to protect them, I will."**

The Kyuubi speaks with a candidness about his feelings of affection towards Naruto that Naruki knows Kurama would never admit to, a confidence in himself and in others that Naruki knows time and experience had long since ground down in his friend. If the Kyuubi was what Kurama would look like without all the burdens and loss weighing on his feline shoulders, Naruki hopes to one day be able to give that level of peace to his friend.

Naruki looks back at Kurama with a question in his eyes. His friend gives a grudging grunt in response, and it's all the answer Naruki needs. He turns his attention back onto the Kyuubi.

"Okay, we'll accept your help. But."

" **Yes?"**

"You cannot tell anyone about us, especially not Naruto. If they found out, who knows what could happen."

The Kyuubi's expression sours, but thankfully he doesn't argue.

" **Fine."**

"Good. Now," Naruki leans in closer to the Kyuubi, "tell us what we need to know about this world." 

* * *

Naruki rubs at his eyes, trying to ward off the creeping headache he can feel lurking around the corners. Rolling his shoulders and massaging his neck, he hunches back over one of the many desks in the steadily dimming library, mountains of papers and files and books scattered around him in seemingly random piles. In front of him sits two scrolls, each holding a line that runs vertically down the left side of the scrolls, dates, events and times noted on each. At the top of each scroll sits a title, scratched out in rough characters and underlined multiple times. On the scroll on the left sits the title "Mine," and on the scroll on the right sits the title "Theirs."

With a sigh, Naruki drops his pen onto the desk and leans back against his chair, feeling a weariness creep into his bones. The crease in his eyebrows does not cease, only seeming to draw tighter across his face as he closes his eyes.

" **He was telling the truth."** Kurama grumbles, sounding surprised.

 _Seems like it._ Naruki answers, letting out another sigh. _As far as I can tell, all events before Naruto's birth are exactly the same as in our timeline. After that, well…_

" **Everything splits?"**

 _Yeah. But these reports and history books only cover the bare basics, not the details._ Feeling frustrated, Naruki lets out a groan, ignoring the glares of those around him. _Sure, the books tell us that the Kyuubi was released and then resealed before anyone could die, but it doesn't tell us how! And unfortunately for us, the Kyuubi has only a vague idea of what happened that night he was sealed. And look!_

Here Naruki jabs at a point exactly three days after the Kyuubi escapes, labelled "Orochimaru defects." _I try to travel back in time to stop this murdering psychopath from killing everyone I love, but not only do I end up in a alternate dimension instead, I end up in a dimension where the only significant event NOT changed after Naruto's birth is the one I wanted to change most of all!_

" **I mean,"** Kurama says slowly, **"If you ignore the fact that it's kind of the worst possible thing that could have happened, it's kinda funny."**

"Fuck off" He growls out loud, a little too loudly if the scandalised looks some of the parents in the children's section are shooting him is anything to go by. "Why does everything have to be so hard!?"

" **Stop fretting. The chunin exams are coming. He'll be there."**

 _Right,_ Naruki says, rubbing tiredly at his eyes again, _which brings us to another problem. How do we know for sure that he's coming to the chunin exams? And, even if he does, who is he gonna go after?_

" **Hmm, yes. That's another big thing that's changed, isn't it? The Uchiha massacre never happened, meaning there are a lot more candidates for him to prey upon this time, besides the asshole."**

 _Right. What should we do?"_

" **Was there a reason specifically that he targeted Sasuke the first time around?"**

Naruki's brows crinkled in concentration, pulling at a distant memory. _I think it was something to do with Sasuke having so much untapped potential,_ he answered finally, _the most that Orochimaru had seen in years, even before the massacre. So there is a chance that Orochimaru may still target him._

" **Let's just hope we have the right bait then. Because if not…"**

 _Then_ _Orochimaru may escape again,_ Naruki finishes, expression growing grim _, and we'll have lost our chance to eliminate him once and for all."_

Running a hand through his hair, making it stick up on end, Naruki clears up the area around him quickly, sealing the scrolls away with quick, perfunctory movements. Rising from the chair, Naruki stretches his arms up above his head and groans in relief when his back gives a satisfying pop. Waving to the tired librarian as he opens the door, Naruki leaves.

 _We can't do this by ourselves, Kurama._ Naruki says. _We need to let them know what's going to happen._

" **I know."** Kurama replies. **"But not just yet. If we had really just travelled back in time like you originally intended, telling Sarutobi would have been the first thing we did. But, seeing that we've just confirmed that this is an alternate dimension or timeline, we don't know who we can trust. Who knows what different experiences these people have gone through, and how it's shaped them. Besides, if we tell too many people the truth it could leak to Orochimaru and then we would be absolutely screwed. You know he has his spies in the village. Just wait a little while before we go blurting our secrets everywhere, okay? We still have time."**

 _Everyone thinks they have time,_ Naruki answers sagely, _until the exact moment that they don't._

Kurama doesn't answer however, and so Naruki lets the subject drop.

Walking through the streets of Konoha, Naruki tries to ignore the curious stares that the villagers shoot him as he makes his way throughout the steadily dimming village. Only a few citizens mull about the village at this time, the streets beginning to clear for the night, but there are still enough people for the stares to become uncomfortable.

 _Looking on the bright side,_ Naruki thinks wryly, _at least_ _their gazes are curious instead of murderous._

It seemed by now that the entire village had heard of the Hokage's estranged illegitimate younger brother appearing out of nowhere. Few knew the true details of his return, but that didn't stop the rumour mill from trying to pump out as many outlandish explanations as they could possibly think.

Tucking his neck further into the blue turtleneck of the standard Jounin outfit he wore, Naruki finally found his way back toward the Hokage's residence. Turning the knob, Naruki toed off his shoes as he stepped inside the foyer of the house.

"I'm back," he whispers softly to himself.

"Welcome home!" a voice shouts from the kitchen, startling Naruki out of his daze. A second later the red hair of Uzumaki Kushina appears around the corner, a blinding smile on her face. "Are you hungry?" She asks, raising an eyebrow at him. Still slightly shocked from the sudden welcome, Naruki only manages to shake his head slightly in negative before Kushina rolls her eyes at him.

"Don't give me any of that!" Kushina says fiercely, waving him over to follow her as she walks back into the kitchen. Obediently, he follows her, pausing slightly in surprise when he catches sight of the many people gathered in the kitchen. Kakashi and Obito both sit at the table, Kakashi greeting him with a small nod of acknowledgment and Obito shooting him a mischievous smile. Yuki lies sprawled out in the middle of the kitchen floor on his back, simply raising a hand to wave at him before letting it fall back down at his side. Sitting on Yuki's stomach is a triumphant looking Naruto, who is too distracted with tormenting his Uncle to notice the new comer.

"Yuki!" Kushina scowls, "get up off the floor, you're in the way." Naruki notices however how the woman doesn't try to physically remove the man, simply stepping around him to continue her cooking. Yuki shoots his sister a hurt look, hand coming up to grab dramatically at his heart. "But Kushina," he says, "it's not my fault your little dickhead of a son tackled me and I'm now too injured to even move a single muscle. If anything, it's your fault I'm on the ground for even having this kid in the first place."

Before Kushina could even reply to that comment however, Naruto had ground a bit more of his weight into his Uncle's stomach, causing the man to groan out in pain as his breath left his lungs. "What was that?" Naruto asks, peering down at his Uncle with a shit eating grin on his face, "I couldn't hear you over the sound of me completely _defeating_ you."

"Little brat." Yuki grumbles. Rolling her eyes at the antics of her two boys, Kushina reaches down to grab at the ear of her son, said boy shouting loudly in over-exaggerated pain as she did. "C'mon, Naruto, leave your useless Uncle alone for a bit and help me finish dinner." She says, releasing his ear once the boy was back on his feet.

"Yes, Okaa-san." Naruto says, rubbing at his abused ear with a pout. With Kushina's back turned, Yuki makes a face at the young blond, too which Naruto answers with a raised middle finger. Finally, the boy seemed to catch sight of Naruki, still hovering uncertainly in the doorway.

"Ah, Naruki-san!" Naruto shouts out, bouncing up to the man in question. Grabbing Naruki's hand, Naruto drags the man to one of the empty seats at the kitchen table, sitting him directly across from Obito and Kakashi. "Sit here while me and Okaa-san get dinner ready. Do you like Okonomiyaki?" Naruki stares at the boy in front of him for a second before giving a small nod, eyes slightly wide. "Good." the boy beamed, before going off the help his mother chop the vegetables.

Feeling a little like he had just been hit with the emotional equivalent of a train, Naruki tries to cover his slightly gobsmacked expression with a cough, ignoring Kakashi and Obito sharing a knowing glance. Seeming to finally have decided to join them at the table, Yuki rolls up off of the ground and sits at the head of the table, stretching in his chair like a cat as he did with a groan of relief.

"Long day?" Obito asks, eyeing the man. Yuki begins rolling his shoulder, working out the kinks. "Yeah, Minato had me running around sorting out a bunch of shit for the upcoming chunin exams. It's such a pain, but after that prank I pulled last month, Minato has been an absolute slave driver."

"To be fair," Kakashi chimes in, "you did dye his hair pink, replace all the sugar in his drinks for the next week with salt, and hide a dead fish in his office."

Obito laughs at the memory. From their vantage point at the stove, Kushina and Naruto snicker as well. "Don't act like you're so innocent!" Yuki shouts, waving a finger at the three laughing parties. "Just because I took the fall, don't think I won't sell you out for helping me with those pranks."

Kushina gave Yuki a hard glare over her shoulder, though was unable to hide the laughter in her eyes completely. "Snitches get stitches, Yuki. Don't think I won't cut you." She says, waving her knife threateningly at him.

Rolling his eyes, Yuki sinks lower into his seat with a grumbled "whatever."

Naruki had watched the entire exchange quietly, simply letting himself bask in the tender warmth of it all, and trying to ignore the faint ache in his chest that screamed _"intruder"_ at him. Watching Naruto work alongside his mother as they begin to flip the food on the stove and transfer them onto the plate, Kushina putting a casual hand on her son's shoulder as she worked to guide him, Naruki has to choke down the burgeoning lump in his throat. Looking away from the scene, Naruki catches Kakashi watching him, the man not bothering to look away when Naruki sees him staring.

"What?" Naruki snaps a little rudely, far too used to Kakashi's probing stares. He wasn't in the mood to be psychoanalyzed by his former sensei. As expected however, Kakashi wasn't put off by his rude tone, instead eye smiling at Naruki.

"How are you enjoying the village so far, Naruki-kun?"

Naruki tries not to let the suspicion show on his face at the question. As far as he remembers, his sensei never asked or did things without some sort of hidden agenda.

"It's okay," Naruki answers with delicate honesty, giving a shrug and a small uncertain smile, "I haven't had the chance to see all that much, though. The people seem nice, if a bit nosy."

Obito snorts. "Yeah, you can say that again. After our spar, I had everyone and their pets come at me asking questions about your stupid ass."

It was stupid, maybe, but Naruki felt his shoulders uncoil slightly at the familiar teasing note in the other man's voice. "Yeah, well," Naruki smirks, "considering the fact that my stupid ass was about to whoop your stupid old _dusty_ ass, you should be lucky that the Hokage stopped me."

"Old!?" Obito sputters, "Dusty!? Wha-why you little brat, I'm only eight years older than you!"

"Exactly. You're practically ancient." Naruki replies sagely.

"Maa, Naruki-kun, go easy on him. You might give the old man a heart attack."

Turning livid eyes onto Kakashi, Obito looks at the man in betrayal. "You little traitor," Obito hisses. "Besides, we're the same age!"

Kakashi only hums in reply, to which Obito narrows his eyes and then turns away with a huff. "That's it," Obito says finally, "you're sleeping on the couch tonight. No, better yet, you're sleeping in the damn street, you no good traitor."

Naruki raises an eyebrow at that comment in surprise.

 _Huh. Who would've thought._

Shaking his head in amusement at the couple in front of him, Naruki turns to share a glance with Yuki. "Are they always like this?" He asks, jerking a thumb to the two men, one of whom is trying to console the other as they pout. Yuki smiles.

"Worse."

Not bothering to hide his own smile, Naruki continues to watch the two men in front of him bicker, warmth settling in his chest.

 _I wonder,_ Naruki thinks, _if they would have been like this in my world, given the chance._

"Dinners ready!" Shouts Naruto, bounding up to the table and placing a stack of Okonomiyaki into the middle of the table, before leaving to fetch them some plates and cutlery. Kushina follows after, settling into her chair with a sigh of relief, belly protruding out. Rubbing at her stomach, she smiles.

"I hope everyone's hungry, because my pregnant ass did not make all this food just for no one to eat it. Dig in!"

Needing no further pushing, Obito spears the food onto a fork before plopping one onto his plate, doing the same for Kakashi. Naruto and Yuki followed soon after, squirting sauce onto their food before digging in. Casting a glance at Kushina, who he could tell was watching him, Naruki grabs one of the cabbage pancakes and slides it onto Kushina's plate. Before she can protest however, Naruki repeats the process and grabs one for himself. Seemingly satisfied, the woman snatches the sauce from her son and begins to squirt it over her food, giving his the same treatment.

"Itadakimasu." He whispers softly to himself, before grabbing a fork and tearing a piece off, placing it in his mouth hesitantly. Slowly, he chews.

"Do you like it?" He turns to see both Kushina and Naruto looking at him a tad anxiously. Swallowing, he nods. "Yes, it's...thank you so much, it's really good, I've never tasted anything like it." He says honestly. Kushina and Naruto seemed to brighten at that, turning back to their food, Naruki doing the same. As everyone around the table ate, Naruki opted to simply listen to the thrum of conversation around him, enjoying the laughter of Kushina and Yuki as they poked fun of each other, and Obito's barely contained mirth as Naruto kept trying to get a glance of what was under Kakashi's mask as they ate, only to be foiled by Kakashi's quick eating which he had perfected through years of practise.

 _This is how it was supposed to be._

Gripping his fork tightly, Naruki continues to make his way slowly through his food, barely a quarter of the way through the large portion. His attention was drawn away from his food at the sound of his name.

"Naruki-kun."

Flicking his eyes up, Naruki sees Kakashi staring at him.

"Yes, Kakashi-san?"

"Would you like to me join me and my team tomorrow for training?"

Naruki's brain stalls for a bit processing that request, not quite understanding.

"Huh?" he asks smartly instead.

Kakashi's one visible eye crinkles in amusement. "Sensei told me you wouldn't be put on active duty for another day or so, so I figured you might like to tag along with me and my adorable little genin tomorrow."

" **He's suspicious of you."**

Deciding he had been quiet for too long, Naruki tuned Kurama out and focused back on Kakashi. "I'd like that." He answers eventually. Naruto, seemingly having only caught the tail end of the conversation, perks up in happiness when his mother relays the contents of it to him. Turning excited eyes on Naruki, Naruto was barely able to stop himself from jumping up and down.

"You're coming to practise tomorrow?"

Naruki nods slightly with a small smile.

Jumping up from his chair, Naruto punched the air with his fist.

"Hell yeah! I wanna see some of those cool wind jutsu that Uncle Obito told me about. Could you teach me? I just found out my nature is wind recently, and the only ones I know who also have wind nature are Mum, Uncle Yuki, and Asuma sensei. Mum's pregnant so she won't teach me, Uncle Yuki is too busy with Chunin exams at the moment, and Asuma sensei is nearly more lazy than Shikamaru!"

Feeling mirth build in his chest at that comment, Naruki chuckles.

"I wouldn't mind teaching you a few tricks. If that's okay with your sensei, that is?" Naruki casts a questioning glance at Kakashi, the man giving a shrug. "Whatever. It'll do me some good to have a break from the little brat."

Scowling at the brat comment, Naruto goes to jump at his sensei, but is pulled back by his mother with a firm hand on the boy's shoulder. "No attacking your Uncle's at the table, Naruto. You know this." She says sternly.

"While we're on the topic," Obito chimes in, ignoring Naruto's grumbling in the background, "where did you learn to control your wind nature like that? I've never seen the raw power of wind controlled so perfectly before."

"Oh," Naruki's hand comes up to rub at the back of his head sheepishly at the compliment, "I met a girl from Sunagakure who had one of the most volatile wind nature's I had ever seen. Trust me, you think what I did was impressive? You should've seen what she could do with the element."

" _You want me to what?"_

" _Teach me." Naruto repeats firmly. "You're the best wind nature user I've ever seen. I figure it wouldn't hurt to learn some of your tricks."_

 _Temari eyes him with something unreadable in her eyes for a second, before they flashed with humour._

 _In an instant, Temari had unfolded her fan and dragged it through the air around her. The surrounding sand picked up off of the ground, and was flung up into the sky. Temari continued to beat her fan throughout the air, changing the direction of the sand until it raged in all directions, the landscape around them changing with the terror of her power. The very wind in the air around them began to howl demonically. Soon, the sun was blocked out of the sky as the dislodged sand and ever-changing wind currents began to whip through the air with terrifying strength._

 _A feral grin quirked across Temari's features as she eyed Naruto from the centre of the sand storm she had created, the boy in question trying to shield himself in vein._

 _"You think you can handle this?"_

 _Naruto feels an answering smile spread across his lips at the challenge in her words._

" _Bring it."_

That had been during the year after the war, where peace had reigned and Naruki had taken to frequently making the trip to Sunagakure, just to see the three sand siblings. That year, where peace had settled like a warm blanket over Konohagakure, had been like the calm before a storm.

"But anyways," Naruki spoke again, finally drawing himself back into the conversation, "I'd be happy to teach you what I know, Naruto-kun."

Smiling back at the older man, Naruto stands up, clearing his plate and putting it in the sink. "Uncle Yuki," the boy cackles, "you're on dishes!"

The man in question, who was now on to his third helping, looked up at his nephew with a full mouth and a scowl. Before the man could argue however, he catches Kushina's eye and sinks back into his seat, resuming his eating with a slight pout. Looking down at his own food, Naruki sees that he still had only over half his plate to finish, but already his stomach was protesting violently. He rubbed at his stomach roughly, determined to at least finish this one plate. Before he had even steeled himself to take another bite, however, a fork came out of nowhere and snagged the remainder of Naruki's food, Yuki devouring it in a second before Kushina even has a chance to notice. Naruki shoots Yuki a confused glance, who simply winks back.

"Ah, Naruki-kun, you finished! I'm so glad that you liked it." Kushina beams happily at him, at Naruki feels his heart thud happily in his chest at the pure happiness he sees there.

"Yes, thank you for the meal Kushina-san, Naruto-kun. It was delicious."

"Well, you must be exhausted. Let the boys here," she points to Yuki, Obito and Kakashi, "clean up, and you can go to your room and rest. You look exhausted."

Naruki opens his mouth to protest, but is waved off with a dry hand from Kakashi. "Just do what she says. Don't worry, this special treatment will last for maybe a week, and then you'll be rostered on for chores as well. Hell, Obito and I don't even live here and we have chores. Savour it whilst you can." At Yuki's, Obito's, and Naruto's nods of agreement, Naruki decides to cut his losses. Giving another small nod in thanks, Naruki makes his way up the stairs to his room, closing the door and collapsing face first onto his bed.

 _Socialising with people never used to take this much energy._

" **Yeah well, considering that you're trying to socialise with people who either used to be dead, alternate versions of yourself, or traitors, I think you can afford to be a bit tired."**

Groaning, Naruki rolls onto his back and stares at the ceiling.

 _There's so much that needs to be done._ Naruki thinks, feeling the familiar curl of anxiety in his chest.

" **Yes,"** Kurama acknowledges softly, **"and a lot to be lost if you fail. But we have an ally now, and…"**

 _And?_ Naruki prompts.

" **And if you do manage to succeed? Gods, imagine how happy we could be here."**

Not quite sure what to say in response to that, Naruki relaxes back onto his bed. 

* * *

_The village is dark and desolate, a carpet of red spanning from the village entrance all the way to the Hokage tower._

 _"Look at me."_

 _He spins around sharply in surprise at the scratchy voice behind him, feet catching on the edge on the carpet and sending him tumbling to the ground. The carpet dissolves around him, fabric liquifying and flowing with iron, turning into blood that smears his clothes and splatters up onto his face and hands as he falls to the ground._

 _For a second, he can't tear his eyes off of the sight of his shaking hands soaked red with blood. A single finger poking roughly against his forehead draws his gaze back up._

" _The blood, Sasuke." He croaks hoarsely up at the figure in front of him. "It's everywhere."_

 _There's a crease between Sasuke's eyebrows that could mean anything from concern, to annoyance. The raven stares back at him for a second, before sighing. Sasuke puts a hand out for him to take, which Naruto stares sceptically back at._

 _Sasuke jerks an impatient eyebrow at him._

" _Keep it together, idiot."_

 _Hand still slightly shaky, he clasps Sasuke's hand in his and uses it to haul himself back onto his feet, trying to ignore the way the blood on his hands smears over Sasuke's pale skin. He goes to let go of Sasuke's hand, but suddenly the other man's grip is too tight, too restrictive and bruising. He looks up from his perusal of their hands to shout in Sasuke's face, and freezes at what he sees._

 _It's still undeniably Sasuke's face, the same eyes and jaw and hair that had most woman swooning. But, the way his eyes are uncharacteristically wide with feral hunger, the manic smile that adorns his face ear to ear, and the long tongue that lolls out the side of his mouth are far from Sasuke's._

 _He's not nearly quick enough to stop the chidori charged hand that plunges into his chest._

 _Orochimaru (notsasukenotsasukenotsasuke) chuckles, drawing him closer._

" _You were too weak, Na~ru~to-kun." Orochimaru drawls out into his ear. "And now they're all dead."_

Naruki slams back into consciousness abruptly with a sharp gasp, heart beating rapidly within his chest. Shaking slightly, he levers himself up onto his elbow to glance at the clock on his bedside.

 _Three in the morning, huh. Better than nothing, I suppose._

Pulling himself up off of the bed, Naruki scrubs a hand through his hair and exits his room, making his way towards the bathroom down the hallway. Not paying attention, he runs headfirst into something warm with a thump.

"Woah, there." Strong arms clasp his shoulders to steady him before he falls, and Naruki blinks up in confusion at the man in front of him.

"Oh, sorry Hokage-sama." He apologizes softly. Said Hokage scrunches his nose up in distaste. "Call me Minato, please."

Naruki hums in acknowledgement, moving to untangle himself from the man's grasp, but Minato simply clasps his shoulders tighter. "Are you okay?" The man questions, concern etched into his familiar blue eyes. Swallowing the lump in his throat, Naruki looks away.

"Yeah, just...trouble sleeping."

Minato nods in understanding, but thankfully doesn't push. Instead, he lets go of his hold on Naruki's shoulders, who takes that as his cue to leave. Just as Naruki is about to enter the bathroom however, Minato's voice stops him.

"Naruki-kun."

Turning with his hand still on the doorknob, Naruki raises a questioning eyebrow.

"Yes?"

There's a silence for a while, and Naruki almost starts to repeat his question before Minato speaks.

"If you ever need to talk, or anything at all...just know that I'm here for you."

And it's right there, looking into the eyes of the man Naruki knows could have been his father, standing in the house that could have been his home, and witnessing the concern for his well-being of the man in front of him, Naruki almost breaks and tells him everything. Naruki is used to waking up from nightmares, memories, or a combination of both. He is used to the way he feels rubbed raw and vulnerable after them. What he's not used to, however, is the familial care after such incidents, and already he can feel parts of his heart begging to be unchained so that he can fall into the strong arms of his father.

" **Keep it together, Naruki."**

The comment from Kurama, and the use of his alias, is like a bucket of cold water being dumped onto his head.

"Thank you," Naruki says stiffly, eyes shuttering, "I appreciate it." Turning the doorknob and entering the bathroom, he leaves Minato in the hallway staring after him.

Minato stares after him, eyebrows furrowed and lips drawn into a tight line. 

* * *

Knowing that there would be no point in trying to go back to sleep, Naruki quickly changes into his standard Jounin gear (blue long sleeve turtleneck, black pants tied off at the ankle and knee with tape, flak jacket pulled over top, hitai ate sitting proudly on his forehead) and makes his way to the training grounds he knew team seven to use.

Kakashi _had_ invited him to train with his team. Naruki would just get a head start.

Once he gets there, Naruki begins to pound away at the training posts, using only taijutsu in the hopes to tire his body enough that his brain would not have time to think. It's only hours later, when the sun begins to rise over the horizon and climb into the sky, casting the surrounding area in a peaceful blue morning light, does Naruki finally take a break.

Ignoring the bloody state of his knuckles, Naruki turns to collapse back against the stump he had just spent the last few hours beating with his fists. Naruki doesn't know how long he sits slumped against that post, ragged breathing evening out until the man slips into a state of meditation, though he does not let himself draw in any sage chakra. That would be too much of a giveaway to the ANBU watching him, who Naruki knew would immediately report his use of sage chakra to the Hokage.

"Oi."

Having already sensed the familiar presence of the other person approaching long before they entered the clearing, Naruki doesn't react, keeping his posture deceptively relaxed. A clothed foot came out to nudge him in his side.

"Wake up."

Resigning himself to his fate, Naruki slides his eyes open.

Sasuke stares back.

Naruki took in the boy in front of him for a small while, before he lets out a grunt, looking away from dark obsidian.

"It's rude to kick people, bastard."

Not wasting a beat, Sasuke snorts. "Yeah well, it's also rude to call someone a bastard. Didn't stop you though did it, idiot."

Naruki squints at the smaller version of his best friend, a tick forming in his eyebrow. "I'm not gonna like you very much, am I." It's wasn't a question, despite the tone of voice Naruki uses.

"Don't worry, idiot." Sasuke smirks, "I'm sure the feeling will be mutual."

Internally, Naruki groans. _Figures that his bastardness would span even across dimensions._

Standing up from his previous slumped position, Naruki brushes his knees off of dirt, and looks at the child in front of him. It's strange, to see his best friend like this.

 _Fuck, are all children this small, or is it just team seven?_

For years and years, him and Sasuke had battled against one another, determined to be equals. Now, however, looking at this chibi version of his rival with his small hands and feet and tiny stature, Naruki feels the unbidden urge to wrap him up in bubble wrap and make sure nothing happens to him. A reaction he knows the tiny Uchiha in front of him would hate.

Not wanting to be stabbed today, Naruki does the next best thing.

He places a hand in the raven's hair and ruffles the locks, happily ignoring the indignant squawk Sasuke gives. Sasuke shoves Naruki's hands off him, working desperately to correct his hair. "What," Sasuke growls, "the _fuck_ was that for, asshole."

"Language, brat." Naruki chimes gleefully, dancing out of the way as Sasuke tries to take a swipe at him.

"Naruki-san!" a voice shouts. Turning on the spot, Naruki greets the incoming figure with a soft smile and a little wave, ignoring the killing intent from the small raven beside him. "Good morning Sakura-chan," Naruki says, "nice to see you again."

Sakura comes to a halt beside him, smiling genuinely. "You too." She returns. Turning to Sasuke, she gives him a wave. "Good morning, Sasuke-kun."

Still grumbling about his hair, Sasuke gives a two-fingered salute back. "Hey, Sakura."

Naruki has to stop himself from outwardly balking at that. Already, with just two words and a wave, this Sasuke had been politer to Sakura than he had ever been in Naruki's time. Naruki tries to imagine his Sasuke ever being polite to anyone without an ulterior motive for even just a second, and shivers in horror.

"Are you training with us today, Naruki-san?" Sakura asks, full attention on him. Still trying to blink away the image of a polite Sasuke, Naruki is slightly too slow in processing her question. He blinks at her for a second, and then finally nods.

"Yeah, your sensei was over at the Uzumaki's house for dinner last night and invited me to train with you lot."

Sakura gives him a questioning look. "Why isn't Naruto-kun here with you, then? You are still staying at their house, right?"

Rubbing the back of his head sheepishly, Naruki laughs. "Ah, I had a bit too much pent up energy, so I decided to come out here and train instead of trying to count some stupid sheep." Eyes diverted to the ground in embarrassment, Naruki misses the measuring look Sakura sends at the battered training post, then at the lines underneath the older man's eyes.

"Back up a bit. How exactly _do_ you know this idiot, Sakura? And why is he staying at Naruto's house?"

"That's not very polite of you, Sasuke-kun." Sakura scolds gently, and Naruki has to stop the visible glee from spreading across his face when Sasuke ducks his head slightly in admonishment. "This is Namikaze Naruki, brother to the Hokage and Naruto's uncle. Naruki-san, this is Uchiha Sasuke, the third member of team seven."

The two newly introduced males size each other up, lightning flying between the two when their gazes meet. Finally, Sasuke turns his head away and smirks. "Figures that usuratonkachi would have an uncle as idiotic looking as him."

"Wha-" Naruki splutters, momentarily at loss for words at the old nickname before he growls, "Why you little shi-"

"Bastard!"

Out of nowhere, a blond blur appears to tackle the smug raven to the ground, fists flying. Naruto and Sasuke grapple for a while, pulling at hair and sinking a fist into any piece of flesh either of them can get a hand on. Sakura looks on with a sigh of resignation, looking for everyone to see like the world's most tired mother.

"Sorry about them," Sakura apologizes. "My working theory is that the both of them share a brain with only a third of the usual power, and Sasuke is using it all up the majority of the time. Tsunade-sama refuses to let me actually cut into them and find out, though."

A surprised snort escaped Naruki's lips, surprising even himself with how genuine it is. Judging by the slight widening of Sakura's eyes, so is she. Instead of choosing to comment on it however, she smiles as well.

 _This,_ Naruki thinks dazedly, not for the first time, _is how it was supposed to be._

"Hello, my cute little genin, how are we all this wondrous morning?"

Sakura's smile freezes in place. Naruto and Sasuke stop their fight mid swing. Naruki raises an eyebrow in curiosity. Four sets of eyes swivel slowly to look at the lazy silver haired Jounin who has joined them in the clearing.

"What," Sasuke says from his vantage point on the ground where he still has a handful of Naruto's hair clenched in his fist, "the actual fuck."

"Language, Sasuke." Kakashi scolds, wagging a mocking finger in the raven's direction.

"You're early!" Three sets of pre-pubescent voices shout.

"Yes, well, we do have a very important guest here with us today, so I thought it important to be on time."

Alarm bells ring throughout Naruki's head at that admission, and he has to outwardly stop himself from tensing. Kakashi was never on time to _anything_ , and nothing short of a war breaking out had ever been able to temporarily curb the man of his habit.

 _This man,_ Naruki thinks with no small amount of trepidation, _is definitely up to something._

Either unaware of the effect his abrupt change in personality was causing Naruki and his students, or just simply not caring, Kakashi claps his hands in glee and eye smiles at the children in front of him.

"Okay, my cute little genin, today we are going to do some elemental training."

The three genin light up noticeably at that, even Sasuke's smirk looking more genuine than normal. Kakashi turns to Naruki with an eye smile, and Naruki's stomach immediately sinks to his feet at the sight of it.

"Naruki-san," Kakashi said cheerily, "what elements are you most adept at working with?"

"Uh," Naruki stutters out, trying to find his emotional balance, "My natural affinity is wind, with fire as a strong secondary. I've had a bit of experience with earth as well."

"Oh?" Kakashi intones, ignoring the curious gazes of the genin on them, "how about lightning or water?"

"Absolute shi-uhhhhh…." Naruki cuts himself off, glancing at the three genin, "I'm really bad with those two, couldn't control them to save my life."

 _Especially lightning,_ he thinks snidely.

Kakashi however doesn't unpin his gaze from Naruki, something unreadable in their depths. "Still," Kakashi says slowly, "three out of five elements. That's pretty impressive. And to have two polar opposites like wind and fire as your mains? How...interesting."

Naruki shrugs helplessly, unsure of what to say in response. Kakashi continues to stare at the newly minted Jounin in front of him for a second, before breaking the heavy atmosphere that had settled with a clap. "Right, that settles it then. Sakura, you're with me, I'm gonna get you started on harnessing your earth affinity. Naruto and Sasuke, you two go with Naruki. Sasuke, he can help you with your fire, and Naruto with your wind. Off you go!"

For a second Sasuke looks like he's about to protest, before seeming to resign himself to the situation with a small sigh. Naruki wishes Sasuke had refused to be trained by him. Naruki had only been alone with the other boy for a short while, something almost like shock having settled over him when he had come to recognize the chakra signature making its way steadily towards the clearing he had been meditating in. Said shock had been the only reason he had been able to keep his composure during their short conversation, denial of the other boy's presence settling like a pool in his stomach.

Now, the denial was leaving, torn away with a harsh tug as Sasuke sets coal black eyes on him.

"C'mon Naruki-san!" Naruto said from next to him, tugging on the older blonde's hand with vigour. "You've got to show me some of those awesome wind jutsu that Uncle Obito told me about!"

"Wait," Sasuke finally cut into the conversation, "you're the guy that Obito fought?"

"Uh, yeah." Naruki said, trying to resist the urge to rub at the back of his head. Sasuke looks at him for a second longer, something almost like grudging respect entering the other boy's eyes before he turns away with a scoff. Naruto, undisturbed by his teammates rude attitude, continues his tugging.

"Patience, sunshine." Naruki chides gently, turning his attention back onto Naruto and letting himself be pulled along by his mini-me. Naruto huffs for a second at the nickname, but doesn't protest, snagging his raven-haired teammates other sleeve and pulling him along as well. Naruki notes with no small amount of amusement that though Sasuke sighs in exasperation at being pulled along by Naruto, he doesn't tug his sleeve out of the smaller blonde's grip.

Once they were what Naruto deemed to be a sufficient distance away from where Kakashi was going over the basics with Sakura, Naruto dropped both of their sleeves and rounded on the taller man with his hands on his hips, looking for all the world like a spitting image of his mother. The image tugs at Naruki's heart.

"Maa, maa," Naruki chuckles with his hands raised in surrender, unwittingly imitating his former sensei, "you win." Thinking quickly, Naruki whips two leaves out of the air falling from the surrounding trees and holds the first out to Naruto.

"Naruto-kun, I want you to try slicing this leaf in half using only wind chakra."

"What!?" Naruto complains loudly, ignoring the outstretched leaf. "Cutting a leaf in half? But I wanna learn a jutsu like the ones that Uncle Obito was talking about!"

Resisting the urge to rub at his temples, Naruki glares down at the boy. "You ain't gonna be learning nothing if you keep going on like that, brat."

Naruto huffs, crossing his arms and turning his head away.

 _Was I ever this annoying?_ Naruki thinks a little in despair.

" **You have no idea."**

Giving in to the urge to rub at his forehead, Naruki gives in with a sigh of exasperation, throwing his hands up into the air. "Fine! If you manage to cut this leaf in half with wind chakra within the next three days, I'll teach you a wind jutsu. Happy!?"

With the grin of a child who had just gotten exactly what he wants, Naruto finally snatches the leaf out of Naruki's hands. He frowns down in confusion at it for a second, before looking back up at Naruki.

"Using only wind chakra? But how do I tell the difference between wind chakra and my normal chakra?"

Naruto blinks slowly at the intelligent question leaving the blond boys lips.

" **That's it. That finally confirms it to me. This really is an alternate dimension. No way the you at this age would have ever asked a good question like that. All your brains must have gotten stuck in this version of you."**

" _Fuck off."_ Naruki growls.

"Good question, Naruto-kun." Naruki speaks out loud. "The difference is that wind chakra is something you draw from around you, not within. All the air around you is coated in chakra, and so having an affinity for wind means that you're simply able to better control that surrounding chakra better than others. So, if you feel like the chakra is coming from within, stop. Draw energy in from your surroundings, and channel it."

Naruto's eyes crinkle adorably.

"Like the sage mode that Dad, Uncle Yuki, and Ero-sennin use?"

Naruki allows himself a soft smile.

"Exactly like that, though I don't think you're ready to be learning sage mode _just_ yet, sunshine." Naruki chuckles, ruffling the smaller blonde's hair fondly.

 _Okay, this kid is actually kinda cute._

Kurama snickers, but doesn't say anything.

Naruto huffs but doesn't throw the hand off. Looking down at his leaf with determination, Naruto begins to concentrate. Satisfied, Naruki turned his attention back onto the raven-haired boy in front of him who had been watching the exchange with barely concealed interest.

"As for you," Naruki said, "how much practise have you had with your fire affinity?"

Sasuke shrugged. "I know a few C and D rank fire jutsu, and one B rank, but Kakashi has mostly had me working on my lightning."

 _I'll bet he has._

"Well then," Naruki claps decisively, "I'm going to be testing how much control you have over the element."

Sasuke scowls, and Naruki's memory briefly recalls a similar expression on an older version of this face with tired eyes and a tight line for a mouth, before he banishes the memory.

"Don't give me that face." Naruki scolds, waving a finger. "With two elements like lightning and fire as your main affinities, you need to be able to have as much control as possible." Unconsciously, Naruki's hand comes up to rub at this chest, feeling the puckered lightning scar even through the layers of fabric that make up his clothes. Naruki only stops his rubbing when he catches Sasuke eyeing the gesture, and drops his hand like he's been burned.

"Anyways," Naruki says a little stiffly, "here." Naruki holds the last leaf out to Sasuke, the boy instinctively taking the leaf between his two hands. Reaching with his pointer finger, Naruki closes his eyes briefly to concentrate, feels the warm heat of the sun around him, and exhales. Where the tip of his finger touches the leaf, a small hole burns into it. Sasuke twitches slightly in surprise, and Naruki withdraws his hand.

"Your job is to stop the flames from reaching the edge of this leaf and burning it up."

"Huh?" Sasuke says intelligently.

"Concentrate, Sasuke-kun." Naruki scolds, looking meaningfully down at the leaf in the raven's hands, "your leaf is about to burn."

Looking down at the leaf and realizing that the older man was right, Sasuke immediately forgets about the man's presence, focusing on the task at hand. However, only a few seconds later, the fire spreads throughout the small leaf and burns up, engulfing the leaf in a small burst of fire. Sasuke yelps and drops the burning leaf, muttering a few choice curse words.

Naruki snatches another falling leaf from the air, burning a similar hole in it, and extends it out to Sasuke.

"Breathe, and try again."

Sasuke glares for a second, but doesn't protest, snatching the leaf out of Naruki's hands. The raven haired boy manages to last longer this time, the fire keeping away from the edges of the leaf for a full five minutes before it too is eaten by the flames. Wordlessly, Naruki produces another leaf, Sasuke practically fuming in frustration. Finally, only after the third leaf is reduced to ashes within a six-minute span, does Sasuke growl and throw up his hands in frustration.

"This is so stupid!" the raven snarls, throwing his hands up petulantly, "why do I have to bother trying to control it! Isn't the point of fire jutsu to kill your enemy? Shouldn't I _want_ it to be as strong as possible?"

Raising his eyebrows at the irrational show of immaturity that _his_ Sasuke would have never showed, not even at this age, Naruki feels the two images warring for dominance within his mind begin to split apart into two different people. Even after having only been in this genin's presence for under an hour, Naruki can already tell that out of everyone he has met so far, Sasuke is probably the most different out of them all.

Naruki tries to quell the guilt that wells within his chest when his mind whispers a traitorous _Good,_ and mostly fails.

His Sasuke had been a man whose personality had been twisted and traumatized and tortured until not even a shred of innocence had been left of the boy he once was. The Sasuke of his time had burdens that at times not even Naruki himself could understand, not until it was too late. And so whilst Naruki did miss his Sasuke like an open wound that hadn't stopped bleeding since he was thirteen, to see this version of him, so unashamedly childlike and frustrated over something as simple as a leaf exercise, lightens one of the many loads within Naruki's chest slightly.

 _At least one of us deserves to be happy, right, Sasuke?_

Pulling himself out of his thoughts, Naruki places his hands on his hips.

"Oh yeah? Okay, but what if you use your fire in battle to save someone, but then you put too much power into it and you end up killing the person you were trying to save as well? Or you go out to train with your fire jutsu but then accidentally burn down the entire forest? Fire is a dangerous element, brat, and needs to be treated with respect."

Sasuke looks for a second like he's about to argue, but Naruki cuts him off with a stern glare.

"Look," the older man practically growls, "if you wanna be strong, you have to learn to accept the advice of those around you. Ain't no point in that stubborn pride of yours if all its gonna do is get you and those you care about killed."

Sasuke looks up at him with a strange look in his eye, before glancing his glance to the side and scoffing, hands shoved into his pockets.

"Whatever."

Trying not to grit his teeth in frustration and start yelling at the boy, Naruki turns to go and check on Naruto's progress before he explodes.

"Wait." A voice stops him. Turning slowly, Naruki cocks an annoyed eyebrow at the Uchiha in question. Said Uchiha seems to be fighting a blush, mouth opening and closing as he tries to find the words. Naruki finds his eyebrows crawling higher into his hairline at the sight. Finally, Sasuke gives out a very put-upon sigh, and holds his hand out.

"Let me try again."

Grin breaking out across his face, Naruki snatches another leaf from the air. 

* * *

As training progressed, all three students made considerable progress, Naruto managing to slice halfway through his leaf with the help of his clones, whilst Sasuke could keep the fire away from the edges for a whole hour. Sakura, having been instructed to simply meditate and feel the vibrations within the ground, undoubtedly got the most boring training out of the three, but progress was still made.

Keeping an eye on his students, Kakashi casually strolled over to his fellow Jounin, whipping out his signature little book as he did.

"You're good with kids." Kakashi comments mildly, not taking his eyes off of the pages in front of him.

Naruki next to him shrugs. "Before my village was destroyed the second time, there were these three little kids that used to follow me around all the time, begging me to teach them. Half the time I wanted to strangle them, but…" Naruki pauses, before giving a wry smile. "All in all, they were good kids."

Kakashi hums in reply, before snapping his book closed and directing his next words to the three genin.

"Alright, trainings over for today my little protégé's!" Kakashi said in a voice Naruki suspects was purely to piss his students off. "Make sure to meet up outside the Hokage's office at 7am sharp tomorrow morning to receive some missions."

All three genin, who have since seized their training and made their way over to where Kakashi and Naruki stand, look at their sensei in confusion.

"We're not gonna go do some missions now, sensei?" Sakura asks. "It's only Nine in the morning."

"Maa," Kakashi says, eye smiling, "I have a meeting with the Hokage to attend to, so I figured you all would like the day off. Unless," Kakashi's single eyes opens and flashes dangerously with mirth, "you'd all like to chase after Tora-chan? I've heard the Daimyo's wife is simply inconsolable because of his absence."

 _I've never seen three people turn so pale so quickly_ , Naruki muses to himself in quiet amusement as the three genin quickly turn tale and run, not even bothering to bid their sensei a goodbye. _Though, I can't really blame them,_ Naruki frowns, recalling the little terror that was Tora. Naruki remembers a time once when Kakashi had caught him, Sakura, and Sasuke hovering with the cat over an open fire, only for Sakura to quickly snatch the cat back away from it's inevitable fiery doom when she saw they had been caught and stutter out a half-hearted excuse about the cat having hypothermia.

Kakashi had taken one look down at them (Him trying to whistle innocently and looking anywhere but at their sensei, Sakura holding the cat at arms-length and trying not to be mauled to death, and Sasuke glaring at Kakashi like he had just interrupted his daily prayers), back to the very obviously _not_ hypothermic cat clutched in Sakura's grasp, and promptly turned on his heel and left.

Unfortunately, they had never been able to rid the world of the little demon, seeing as the cat had chosen that inopportune moment to sink its little demon claws into Sakura's arms and escape with a hiss, but it certainly had not been because of lack of effort on their part.

"Naruki-kun, may I ask you something?" Kakashi says in an even tone.

"Hmm?" Naruki answers, only half paying attention, his mind still reflecting on memories of evil cats and poorly plotted feline murders.

"How do you know what sage mode is?"

Naruki abruptly chokes on air, trying to draw in a startled breath around the fist that has clenched itself around his heart.

"Wha-What?" He finally manages to gasp out around wheezes.

"Oh, I just heard you talking to Naruto is all, and I got curious. Since it's a technique exclusive to toad sages, and also considering the fact that Konoha has the only three toad sages alive in the entire world, the fact that you know about it is certainly strange. So…?" Kakashi trails off, leaving the question hanging. Despite his casual words however, Naruki sees the steel within the man's singled uncovered eye, and feels his chest clench once more.

 _Stupid, stupid, stupid!_ Naruki curses himself, _that's what he was doing, trying to get my guard down so I would reveal something. Stupid!_

"A-ahh," Naruki manages to stumble out, "why wouldn't I know about sage mode, eh? Jiraiya-sama can use it like the kid said, and everyone knows about sage mode because he's famous because of the war, yeah? It's not too much of a stretch to think he taught it to his most prized student as well, ya know?" Naruki has to cut himself off there before he begins to ramble, anxiety pooling in his chest.

"Hmm." Kakashi intones noncommittally, single eye still studying Naruki's face intently.

"Uh, anyways Kakashi-san, I best be going now. Bye!"

And beating a hasty retreat, the blond Jounin flees. 

* * *

Kakashi climbs in through the window of his former sensei's office, deftly dodging the paperweight the Hokage throws at him and watching with no small amount of amusement as it is quickly intercepted by an ANBU before it can crush a little old lady standing at the base of the tower. With the tired air of someone who has had to do this many times before, the ANBU simply places the paperweight back on their Hokage's desk, before disappearing again.

"God _dammit_ Kakashi," Minato wails as wind coming in through the newly opened window sends a stack of paperwork scattering throughout the office, "couldn't you take the door for once, you no good student!"

"Well, sensei," Kakashi grins, "if you hadn't tried to bludgeon me to death with your paperweight instead of letting it sit on top of your paperwork like it's _supposed_ to, you wouldn't be in this position, now would you?"

The man looks at him grumpily for a second, before huffing a sigh. "Touché." The man grumbles, standing to retrieve the scattered pieces of paper. It's only after Minato has finally regathered his paperwork into a semi-descent pile on top of his desk does the blond man shoot an assessing stare at his former student.

"Out with it, then." The man says, sitting down behind his desk to eye the one eyed Jounin who has settled himself into a deceptively relaxed position in front of the Hokage's desk. "What's on your mind?"

Kakashi is quiet, seeming to be considering his words carefully. Finally, he speaks.

"Naruki."

Minato's face quickly goes from tense to exasperation. "This again? I thought we settled this already, Kakashi! Your job is to-"

"He knew what sage mode was." Kakashi cuts in, shoulders tense.

Minato processes this. "It's not completely unprecedented," Minato says eventually, "that he heard of Jiraiya using it during the war. And Yuki and I haven't been exactly subtle whenever we've used it since then."

"Yeah, that's what he said as well" Kakashi allows, "but the reason it was brought up was because Naruto mentioned it. They were talking about wind natured chakra and Naruto mentioned it being like the sage mode that you, Jiraiya-sama and Yuki use."

"Okay?" Minato says with a raised eyebrow, still not getting where Kakashi was going.

"Except," Kakashi breathes, "Naruto didn't call the old pervert Jiraiya, but 'Ero-sennin.' So Naruki should have had no idea who Naruto was talking about. And yet, when I brought it up…and that's not even taking into account his suspicious reaction when I did."

"Kakashi…" The Hokage said, voice quiet but firm. "What are you trying to say?"

"I don't know, sensei." Kakashi says, fists clenching in an uncharacteristic show of stress, "but that's not the only thing I've noticed about him, either. Sometimes he looks at the village like he knows it, and other times like he can't recognize it at all. Not to mention the fact that he's obviously hiding something! And add to that the way he looks at some people? I know it's all circumstantial, sensei, I know, but I don't like it."

The silence that descends is thick and heavy, Kakashi's words settling like an oppressive presence. Minato sits slouched back in his chair with his arms folded, taking in his former student with an unreadable gaze.

"And how exactly," Minato asks softly, "does he look at people?"

"Like…" Kakashi considers his words for a small while, testing the weight of them on his tongue. "Like he thinks they're not real. Like they're gonna disappear the moment he touches them. Like…"

"Like he's lost everyone he's ever loved?" Minato prompts gently, before his gaze turns firm. "No more bullshit. What, for real this time, is it about my brother that bothers you so much, 'kashi? I don't remember you being this hesitant when Yuki appeared."

"That was different, sensei." Kakashi replied, the use of his old childhood nickname making him feel all of ten years old again. "Yuki wasn't just a distant relative of Kushina's. Within an hour of knowing him, he helped to save the entire village. Yuki _earned_ our trust. But Naruki…He appears out of nowhere, half dead with a wound on his chest identical to Rin's, a convenient backstory, Jounin level skills if not higher, and that's not cause for suspicion? I don't like it." He repeats.

 _I don't like how easily he could hurt my family,_ he doesn't say. Already, Kakashi could see how Tsunade eyed the shinobi like she wanted to smack him for being difficult, and at the same time force feed him until he was a weight she deemed healthy. Kushina and Minato looked at the boy like he was an injured animal, careful to never push too much for fear of sending him running. Naruto had already warmed up to the other blond with a single mindedness that was in his Uzumaki blood, and even Yuki had a soft spot for the boy, if the concerned eyes the redhead shot Naruki when the other male wasn't looking were anything to go by.

The child inside him screamed at the intrusion to his status quo.

"He's an intruder." Kakashi continues bluntly. "And I don't like how easily he's come into our lives, and how easily he could leave."

Understanding sparks through the Hokage's eyes like a firework, bright and illuminating, and the smile he gifts Kakashi with is just shy of sad. "It's okay to let people in, Kakashi. I know people have been ripped from you in the past, and that's made you weary to trust. But…isn't it better to embrace those around you whilst you can, instead of mourning the closeness you could have had when they're gone?"

Not sure what to say in response, the Jounin gazes down at the floor instead.

"I acknowledge that he is suspicious." Minato relents. "How could I not? And I know this is hard for you, after everything you've been through and lost. Yuki and you have been given the same mission, but he hasn't had the chance to interact with the boy as much as you due to him being busy with preparations for the chunin exams. The brunt of dealing with my brother has fallen to you, and I am sorry for that. I'll talk to Yuki about it, get him to pick up some of the slack. But."

The Hokage's voice shifts from brotherly to stern in a second. "You have been given a mission, Jounin Hatake. And I order you to complete it."

Kakashi's back automatically straightens in response to the change in tone, and his voice comes out clipped.

"Yes, Hokage-sama." 

* * *

The Kazekage, strongest ninja within Sunagakure, is quick enough to dodge the long tongue that is aimed his way as he and his guards are ambushed, but not nearly strong enough to shake off the large blow that is delivered to his head, sending stars scattering across his vision.

From there, the battle rages on, the village hidden in the sand remains oblivious to their leader fighting tirelessly to free himself from the snake.

After hours of battle, when the serpent does finally manage to disable the man's guards and snap the Kazekage's neck with a cold jerk of his arms, only the snake's followers are there to see his face twist into a deformed version of a smile.

The serpent's chest heaves with the effort of taking out his enemy, but his yellow eyes glint with the achievement.

 _Konoha,_ Orochimaru smirks, _here I come._


	6. One Who Endures

A/N: So before we kick off this chapter, I had quite a few people comment last chapter about how I mentioned that Sage Mode is a technique only applicable to toad sages, and how that is inaccurate because people such as Hashirama and Kabuto used it during the war.

If I'm remembering correctly, Hashirama and Kabuto both used nature chakra, but I always thought Sage mode and Nature Chakra were slightly different? Just because no one else seems to get the markings that Naruto does when they use it. So, I kind of always thought Sage mode was one of the many ways to utilize nature chakra and was known exclusively to the toads and their sages, whilst the techniques that Kabuto and Hashirama used were simply different ways to utilize nature chakra? Which is why I mentioned that Sage mode was exclusive to Toad Sages.

If I'm wrong about this please correct me, to be very honest I wouldn't be surprised if I was because honestly, by the time the war finally finished in the manga I had been reading that shit fest chapter by chapter for about five or so years and just wanted Kishimoto to get to the point already.

On another note, I want to say a big thank you to all the people who have reviewed/favourited/followed so far, all your comments put a huge smile on my face honestly and make me feel so happy! I'm sorry that I haven't been able to reply to everyone, I've been so busy lately with exams and everything, but now that that's all done I'll be able to reply to all you beautiful people which I'm really looking forward to.

Anyways, on with the chapter!

* * *

Minato doesn't flinch when the figure appears in his office in a puff of smoke, fist to the floor and head bowed. The figure in front of him wears the standard ANBU uniform, along with a black cloak thrown over their shoulders with the hood pulled up.

"Stand." The Hokage orders of his soldier. "And remove your mask." The figure stiffens almost imperceptibly at the command, but obeys without question not even a second later. The figure pushes back the hood of their cloak and removes their porcelain mask bearing the depiction of a weasel with graceful movements.

 _Uchiha Itachi_ , Minato muses not for the first time, _will make a fine Hokage one day._ However, those are thoughts only whispered to himself in the privacy of his own mind. Despite Minato's efforts, there were still those within the village that looked upon the Uchiha with suspicion.

 _Hopefully he will be the one to change that._

"Itachi." Minato begins, said Uchiha's posture becoming if possible even straighter under the Hokage's direct gaze. "You and your ANBU team have been tasked with the job of watching my brother for the past month and a half. What is your verdict?"

If Minato had not been so well versed in reading Uchiha, he would have missed the minuscule tightening of Itachi's lips. As it is, Minato immediately feels his eyes zero on the facial movement, and braces himself.

"So far, we have not observed any overtly suspicious behaviour from your brother, Hokage-sama." Itachi's words are short and clipped.

Leaning back in his chair, Minato eyes Itachi closely. "Nothing at all?" Minato questions. Itachi's lips twitches again.

 _His mother,_ Minato notes with vague amusement, _has the very same tell._

"Speak freely." Minato says. "I want to hear what you have to say. You know I trust your opinion, Itachi-kun." Minato purposefully attaches the suffix to hopefully relax the younger male. Seeing the younger male's shoulders loosen slightly, Minato gives himself a mental pat on the back.

In a show of uncharacteristic frustration, Itachi runs a hand through his hair. "Hokage-sama." Itachi begins. "While I understand that since he has done nothing overtly suspicious we are unable to send him to Ibiki or Inoichi-sama, I still do not know if we can trust him."

"You and Kakashi," Minato states dryly, "should start a club. You're not the only one to express your concerns about my brother. But tell me this, Itachi-kun." Here, Minato stands and walks around his desk to stand in front of his subordinate, leaning back on his desk. "Outside of your paranoia, has my brother done anything that would suggest he has the intention to harm our village?"

If Uchiha's were allowed to pout, that's what Itachi would be doing. As it was, the younger male settled for a slight frown. "No, Hokage-sama." The man said eventually. Nodding to himself, Minato smiled. "Good. Then, I have a new mission for you and your team, Itachi."

Itachi's eyes widen slightly. "Is that wise, Hokage-sama?" Minato waves a careless hand. "Don't worry. I may be taking your team off of him, but I'll still be leaving one ANBU to watch him. The ANBU, along with Kakashi and Yuki, should be enough. Now, your mission."

At the mention of Minato's brother in law, the blond notices the Uchiha's face darken slightly. Frowning to himself, Minato continues.

"Jiraiya has just recently reported to me that there have been rumours that one of the villages intend to use the chunin exams to stage an invasion."

Itachi's gaze hardens. "Does Jiraiya-sama know what village?"

"No, he does not. Only that they are planning to attack during the final rounds. Jiraiya will be arriving in the village shortly to help us plan. However, we cannot know for certain when or even if they do in fact plan to attack, which is why I want you, your team, and whoever else you so choose to be guarding the exams the entire time. Is that clear?"

Itachi sketches a deep bow. "Yes, Hokage-sama."

"Good. Oh, and one other thing." Itachi rises from his bow and gazes questioningly at the blond in front of him. "Since Yuki is the head organiser of the exam, you will need to be working closely with him."

Same as before, Itachi's gaze darkens, and Minato feels himself tire.

"I know you two have never been on the best of terms, Itachi, though I could never figure out why, but I need the both of you working together on this."

"It is not I that has the problem, Hokage-sama."

Minato huffs a laugh at the sudden display of immaturity. "Funny." The Hokage snorts. "That's exactly what Yuki said when I told him about the assignment."

Itachi looks slightly askance at being compared to Minato's brother in law, an expression the Hokage would have usually cheered to himself at being able to pull out from the raven. Right now however, it only serves to add to the weariness in his bones.

"Whatever you and Yuki's problems are," The Hokage straightens from his previous slump, "you sort them out before the exams. I can't have two of my best fighters squabbling amongst themselves like children. Do you understand?"

At the change in the man's voice and posture, Itachi immediately sinks back into his original crouched position with his fist to the floor. "Understood, Hokage-sama."

"Good. Now, is there anything special you would require for this mission?"

There is a measuring silence as Itachi mulls over the words, before his face rises up from its perusal of the ground and looks his Hokage in the eye.

"Yes actually, Hokage-sama. I was wondering…"

* * *

 _"I'm thinking of leaving the village for a bit."_

 _Naruto's fists clenches slightly around the bench, denting it slightly._

" _Yeah?" Naruto asks, keeping his voice as controlled as possible, not wanting to scare the raven away._

" _I can't stay here, Naruto." Sasuke says. "The villagers, they…they look at me like I'm some kind of saviour, like I did it all for them. And I hate it, because…"_

" _Because you know that you didn't," Naruto finishes for him softly, fists unclenching from the bench, "and that makes you feel guilty."_

" _Yeah," Sasuke whispers, turning away._

" _And the seal you were creating?"_

 _Thankful for the change in topic, Sasuke quickly pulls out the scroll holding the seal and unfurls it to show the younger boy._

" _I figured that even outside of the village, people would still know who I am and look at me the same way."_

" _Why not just use a normal henge?" Naruto asks, eyes tracing the lines of the seal._

" _Because, by trying to sustain a henge for such a prolonged amount of time like I am planning, I run the risk of losing the ability to return to my original image."_

" _Huh?" Naruto says in confusion. "That's a thing?" Rolling his eyes, Sasuke elaborates._

" _The henge isn't just an illusion. You're actually physically changing your entire appearance or body composition, depending on what you transform into. That's why when someone turns into a kunai or shuriken you're able to throw them with all the accuracy of a normal weapon, because in that moment they essentially are a weapon made of metal. Understand so far?"_

 _Naruto nods fervently. Sasuke squints at him in disbelief, but continues anyways._

" _So, this has posed a problem for shinobi, especially those running infiltration missions. To retain your original image, at least once every three days you would have to transform back into your original form to essentially give your system a flood of the original DNA, which increases your chances of being discovered if you're undercover."_

" _Right, okay. And so that seal of yours…?" Naruto prompts, mind slightly throbbing in pain at the amount of information Sasuke was suddenly throwing at him._

" _So, this seal of mine," Sasuke says, huffing a breath at Naruto's clear impatience to get to the point, "allows me to sustain a henge for a semi-permanent amount of time, without the need to transform back constantly and without losing my original image."_

" _How!?" Naruto jumps in excitement, his eyes widening in surprise._

" _Keep your voice down, usuratonkachi." Sasuke growls, looking around them to make sure no one was paying them any attention. Satisfied, Sasuke returns his gaze to the blond._

" _By writing and basing the seal on something very specific to my DNA into the second circle of the seal, I've managed to ensure that I always have an anchor back to my original image if I ever wish to return. A pocket seal layered into the third circle not only increases its stability, but also allows me to create a store of chakra for the seal to draw on, meaning I don't have to be constantly feeding it for it to work."_

" _And…the anchor?"_

" _My eyes." Sasuke says. "They're something completely unique and yet essential within my DNA, so they function as a perfect anchor. But the best thing about the seal is that because it eliminates the need to be constantly channeling chakra into it and because it's not technically an illusion, no one, not even a Hyuuga or someone with even an advanced sharingan should be able to see through it."_

 _Giving a high, impressed whistle, Naruto then scrunches his face in concentration. "Wait. Does this mean you would be the only one to be able to use this seal, since it's anchored to your specific DNA?"_

 _Sasuke eyes narrow. "Yes, dobe" he snaps, "it means that no one else can use it. Even though I've decided against killing the Kage's, that doesn't mean I'm willing to hand them a seal that could potentially be used as a very dangerous weapon."_

" _Dammit, Sasuke," Naruto groans, holding his hands up in surrender, "that's not what I meant. No need to jump down my throat."_

 _Sasuke's gaze is still weary and slightly suspicious. "Why did you ask then?"_

 _Huffing slightly and crossing his arms in front of his chest defensively, Naruto turns away from the dark stare. "You're not the only one who gets overwhelmed with all the attention, asshole." He grumbles, before snapping his mouth shut. He hadn't meant to say that. That was revealing a level of vulnerability about himself that he was still uncomfortable with._

 _Turned away as he was, Naruto doesn't see the way Sasuke's eyes soften slightly around the edges, lips faltering in their hard line._

" _Fine, dumbass." Sasuke grunts in frustration into the uncomfortable silence that had descended, only the fact that he was a prideful Uchiha stopping him from throwing his hands up in exasperation, "I'll add a second anchoring point into the second circle with your DNA in mind, meaning that you can use the seal as well."_

 _Blinking a little owlishly, Naruto turns back to the raven. "Huh?"_

 _Rolling his eyes, Sasuke turns away to hide his pinking cheeks. "For it to be an effective anchor, it has to be both unique to yourself and essential. The Kyuubi's seal should be good enough. It'll take me a day or so to adjust the seal to account for the change, but it's possible. Good enough, dead last?" Sasuke practically sneers._

 _Feeling immensely amused at the uncharacteristic kindness Sasuke is showing and inadvertently trying to cover up with the name calling, Naruto suppresses a chuckle._

" _Yeah, that's…thanks, Sasuke."_

 _One part of him wants to tease Sasuke, but the larger part of him is touched, which he expresses with a grateful smile. Besides, watching Sasuke's embarrassed face is reward enough. To soon, however, he feels himself sober._

" _Well," Naruto ventures eventually, "let's hope Madara doesn't come back to life again and try to gauge your eyes out, or else you'll be screwed and stuck in whatever other ugly form you decide to change yourself into." The joke falls flat, Naruto's cheeks spread too wide to be real, and the stern look Sasuke sends him has the poor imitation quickly dissolving back into a frown._

" _You know I hate it when you do that." Sasuke says sternly. "Speak your mind, idiot."_

 _Naruto heaves a sigh, shoulders drooping. "I'm not gonna try to stop you leaving the village if that's what you're worried about, Sasuke."_

 _Sasuke snorts. "That's a first."_

 _Naruto glares slightly. "I never chased after you just because you left, bastard. It was never about that. Hell, if back then you had wanted to leave to find some peace or whatever, I wouldn't have fought you about it. The reason I was so hell bent on bringing your ass back in the past was because you were being a stupid fuck head and were gonna get yourself killed. This…this is different."_

 _Sasuke has the decency to look slightly cowed._

" _I…" Naruto starts and stops, trying to push out the words that are being forcibly held back by years of pride and rivalry. "Just…just don't go getting your smug ass killed, alright? I'd hate to have to find another bastard to kick the shit out of. And for fucks sake, come visit? You know Sakura will miss you if you don't."_

 _Sasuke's answering smirk and roll of the eyes is all Naruto needs to know that Sasuke got the message, that Sakura wouldn't be the only one who would miss him, and Naruto turns back to his food with renewed vigour._

" _So," He says around a mouthful of noodles, ignoring Sasuke's face scrunching in distaste at his lack of manners, "Where are you gonna go?"_

" _I was thinking of maybe revisiting Otogakure. I've heard that Orochimaru has been working overtime since the war to turn it into a real village. I'd like to see it."_

 _Swallowing back the urge to gag at the snake freaks name, and especially at the sick feeling that settles within his stomach whenever Naruto thinks about Sasuke and Orochimaru within the same sentence, Naruto slaps Sasuke on the back in a hearty gesture._

" _Well," Naruto chuckles, "try not to let the pedophilic snake-bastard too close this time, yeah? Remember Sasuke," Naruto waggles a finger at Sasuke, speaking as if he were lecturing a child and ignoring the ravens steadily darkening expression with glee, "if a bad man tries to give you another hickey and promises candy if you follow him into a shady underground village, what do we say? No!"_

 _The bloody nose Naruto receives for that comment, he will later tell Sakura around a toothy grin, was so worth it to see Sasuke's face._

It's a memory that both upsets him and fills the boy with happiness. On one hand, it was a peaceful recollection of a tranquil time between him and his former teammate filled with calm conversation and the subtle confirmation of care for the other.

On the other hand, it was also one of the last times Naruki had seen Sasuke in control of his body before the village fell and everything went to shit.

Squinting with disguised brown eyes through ragged brunette bangs falling messily into his vision, Naruki pretends to be nursing a sore stomach seated in a plastic seat within the sterile waiting room in the free clinic situated at the lower levels of the hospital. The seal that Sasuke had completed in his timeline had come in useful many times for Naruki, and was currently drawn across the expanse of his back with the help of a clone two hours earlier. It was also the very same jutsu he had used to slip in and out of the village to retrieve Tsunade's crucified body undetected from the village after the invasion in his time.

Giving a pitiful moan that hopefully conveys real pain, Naruki wraps his arms tighter around himself.

"Urutomaki Naruzu?" Comes a questioning voice.

" **Seriously?"** Kurama huffs in exasperation. **"That was the best alias you could come up with? That's worse than 'Naruki,' kid."**

Ignoring the demon within his head with practised ease, Naruki raises his head to meet the searching stare of the assistant currently holding a clipboard, trying to pull off his best _'yes I am very sick and pathetic looking please pity me'_ expression.

"That's me." Naruki says, voice convincingly raspy. The assistant nods to him and gives a friendly smile "Follow me, Urutomaki-san." Rising from his seat, Naruki follows the assistant out of the waiting room and into a small room, equipped with a hospital bed, two chairs situated by a desk as well as other equipment. Sitting down in one of the chairs, the assistant indicates with their head for Naruki to take the other.

"My name is Yakushi Kabuto, Urutomaki-san." Kabuto says, "and I will be taking your details for the Doctor to look over when they come in to check on you."

"Oh?" Naruki asks, raising an innocent eyebrow in question. "You're not the Doctor?"

Kabuto chuckles slightly, though Naruki doesn't miss the slightly twitch of his fingers. "No, I'm not. I'm simply working here at the Hospital part time until I can manage to become a Chunin."

"Huh. So, you're a Genin then?"

Kabuto glances at him out of the corner of his eye, gaze shrewd for a second before it relaxes back into one of open friendliness. Naruki has to stop himself from fidgeting, and instead clutches his stomach tighter and gives another small groan.

" **God,"** Kurama groans from the recesses of his mind, **"you're useless at this spying business. Couldn't you have just stalked him like I wanted?"**

 _Shut up Kurama,_ Naruki gripes, _I just prefer to look him in the eye myself, okay?_

Kabuto, unaware of the conversation taking place, turns back to the paperwork before speaking. "Yes, I'm currently a Genin. Hopefully that will change this time around though." The assistant laughs sheepishly, scratching his cheek in clear embarrassment. "This will be my seventh time taking the chunin exam."

Mentally making a note at the similarity, Naruki laughs. "Seventh times the charm then, yeah?"

After that, the conversation quickly turns back to the reason for his hospital visit, Kabuto sketching his details onto a piece of paper.

"And finally, you've had this sickness for how long now, Urutomaki-san?" Kabuto asks.

"About a week." Naruki answers. Nodding, Kabuto writes down the final detail before getting to his feet. "Okay, that's all I need then. I'll give this to the nurses, and then hopefully a Doctor will be in to see you within the next ten minutes.

"Wait!" Naruki shouts out, only remembering at the very last second to rasp his voice and causing the man with his hand on the door handle to pause in surprise and glance back at him.

"Yes?" Kabuto asks, tilting his head to the side in question.

Hesitating slightly and trying to ignore Kurama as the fox demon curses him for his impulsiveness, Naruto squares his jaw determinedly.

"Why did you become a Shinobi?'

Kabuto releases his grip of the door handle and turns to fully face him, arms folding across his chest and brow furrowing. "And why exactly would you want to know that? Bit of a strange question to ask a complete stranger, don't you think?"

Naruki doesn't hesitate in his answer. "A distant friend of mine was killed in battle recently on duty as a Shinobi. I just…I wanted to understand why."

Kabuto's gaze has lost its suspicious edge and has relaxed into something more contemplative, and strangely solemn. "I can't answer for your friend. Everyone has different reasons for becoming a shinobi. Some people's reasons are selfish, others you could call noble. Me…I just wanted to hold onto what was mine."

And with that frustratingly vague answer, Kabuto throws open the door and leaves without a glance backwards.

* * *

"There's a patient waiting for you in room twelve, Tsunade-sama." The assistant hands her the folder with the patient's information, which Tsunade accepts with a tired sigh. "Thank you, Kabuto-kun." She says, flicking the file open and giving it a cursory glance before turning her attention back to the genin in front of her.

"Go home, Kabuto-kun." Tsunade orders. "You've been here longer than I have, and I know you've been spending you're breaks training for the upcoming chunin exams. Go, get some rest, and I'll see you bright and early tomorrow morning."

The smile Kabuto gives her is filled with gratitude, and Tsunade has to resist the urge to slap the young man for wearing such a dopey expression. "Thank you, Tsunade-sama." Sketching a deep bow, the young man turns and leaves the hospital, stride weary with fatigue. Tsunade watches him go with concern, but brushes it off. The genin had been working under her for more than four years now. She knew he could look after himself.

Shaking herself off, Tsunade makes her way towards her destination, stopping in front of the door with the number "twelve" situated on a plaque just left to the entrance. Sliding the door open, Tsunade glances down at the file in front of her as she does to remind herself of the patient's name.

"Afternoon, Urutomaki-san, what seems to be-" And stops abruptly when she looks up from her patient file to be greeted with a completely empty room. Tsunade looks back down at the file just to make sure she has the right room, and groans.

"Either Kabuto has developed a sense of humour and is playing a prank on me, or this dumbass patient has flown the coup." Looking down at the patient file in front of her, Tsunade takes note of the patient's symptoms, before shrugging and stepping out of the room.

"Meh, sounds like all they had anyways was the flu or some bad diarrhea."

And casting a final annoyed glance around her, Tsunade leaves the room in a huff.

* * *

Walking through the village still using the henge seal that Sasuke had designed himself, Naruki has his hands shoved deep into his pockets and a head full of questions.

" **So,"** Kurama pipes up. **"What's the verdict? Spy, or not?"**

 _I'm not sure just yet. He seemed genuine, but then again so did the Kabuto from my timeline before he revealed himself to be a lying snake._

" **Either way, I say we keep an eye on him."**

 _Agreed. My clones are already on it._

Happy with their decision, Naruki quickens his pace, jumping to the rooftops but also taking extra effort to cloak his chakra and remain unseen. At his pace, Naruki quickly finds himself amongst trees, and stops when he sees a familiar blond head of hair already waiting for him on a branch.

Naruki stops next to his clone on the branch, leaves rustling slightly with his entrance.

"Did anybody notice me gone? Kakashi or the ANBU?" Naruki asks. His clone shoots him a withering glare. "Of course not," It replies hotly, "or else I would have dispelled and alerted you, asshole. Kakashi is too busy being lazy to notice anything suspicious. As for the ANBU, Hokage-sama must have only one tailing us now, because I haven't been able to sense the others all day. They suspect nothing as well."

 _Good to hear,_ Naruki muses to himself, before turning back to his clone with a scowl.

"You know that when you insult me you're insulting yourself, right?" Naruki grits out, feeling his temper rise quickly in a way he hasn't permitted it in years. The clone doesn't answer past the rolling of his eyes and a raised middle finger, to which Naruki loses the last of his patience and dispels it with a kunai to the chest.

"Stupid clones," Naruki mutters darkly. From the recesses of his mind, Kurama laughs. Still grumbling to himself, Naruki lifts his shirt over his head to bare the seal drawn across his back, spitting into his hand and then raking it clumsily over the ink on his back to dissolve the seal. The moment he does, Naruki feels an abrupt surge of strength as the chakra he had placed into the containment section of the seal flows back into him. Along with the return of his strength, comes his features, hair and eyes returning back to their original hue.

Through trial and error, Naruki had discovered years ago that Sasuke's seal only worked on the original, not on any clones. After bringing the problem to the Shikamaru of his time, he had ruled that it was because clones only share Naruki and Kurama's chakra, not the Kyuubi's seal itself. Seeing as the Kyuubi's seal was what Sasuke had written into his own seal, it explained why clones could not utilize it.

 _Still,_ Naruki thought a bit irritably, _the bastard couldn't have made it possible for clones to use the stupid thing? Then I could have just sent the clone off to do the job while I relaxed._

Annoyed, Naruki tilts his head forward slightly so that blond hair falls into his eyes, taking in his blond locks with relief. "I hate using that seal." Naruki mumbles to himself. "I can't imagine having to be under a henge 24/7 like Sasuke was planning. I think I'd go crazy."

" **Necessary evils."** Kurama pipes up. **"in a village like Konoha that has a lot of people with eyes capable of seeing through a normal henge, using his seal was the best decision."**

Agreeing with his tenant but still unwilling to admit it, Naruki jumps the last few branches into the clearing up ahead, where Team Seven are currently working on their own individual elemental affinity exercises while Kakashi bathes in the sun, little orange book lying on top of his face. Walking into the clearing, he immediately catches the attention of Sakura, who scrunches her nose up in disgust when she sees him.

"Did you wash your hands?" She asks.

Naruki rolls his eyes. "And how am I supposed to wash my hands in the forest, Sakura-chan? Besides, when guys take a piss in the forest we don't even get that dirty! The trick is to just-"

"Gah!" Sakura screeches, slapping her hands over her eyes and closing her eyes. At her sides, Sasuke and Naruto both snicker at her.

"What's wrong Sakura-chan?" Naruto asks with a mischievous smile. "Naruki-san was just talking about-"

"No!" Sakura shouts louder this time, trying to drown out her teammates voice, "boys are so gross, ugh!"

Chuckling to himself, Naruki turns to the two boys. "So," he asks, clapping his hands together, "how far have you two gotten with your exercises?"

Both boys immediately lose their smiles and slump dejectedly. Smirk widening, Naruki slams his hands down on both their heads and ruffles their hair, dodging out of the way of the kunai Sasuke aims at him.

"Stop _doing_ that." Sasuke says in annoyance, trying to pat his hair back into place. Naruto takes the gesture with more grace, obviously having been used to such gestures from family members.

"Remember kiddies," Naruki says, hands on hips, "I said if you managed to complete this stage in three days, I would teach you a jutsu. Today is your last day. Don't disappoint me!" Far from feeling dejected, both boys immediately march off to complete the task given to them. Naruki watches them with a fondness.

"Um, Naruki-san?"

Tearing his attention away from the two boys retreating back, Naruki looks down at Sakura who is looking back up at him with a small amount of trepidation."

"Yes, Sakura-chan?" Naruki asks, softly smiling at her.

Shuffling her feet slightly, Sakura tugs at a piece of hair hanging in front of her face. "Um, I know you only promised to teach the boys a jutsu, but I was wondering...it's just that you said you had some experience with earth as well, so I just…but if you don't want to-"

"Sure, Sakura-chan." Naruki cuts off her little spiel before she can gain momentum and really send herself into a frenzy. "I'll teach you an earth jutsu also if you manage to master the first stage Kakashi-san taught you by today. That's a promise!"

The girl snaps her head up off the ground, surprise in her features that quickly makes way for happiness. "Okay!" She shouts, eyes blazing, "Just you wait Naruki-san, I'm getting get that first stage done in no time, believe it!"

Leaving a slightly stunned Naruki in her wake, Sakura runs after the boys.

"Maa, Sakura-chan has been hanging out with Naruto-kun too much."

Kakashi pipes up, book still on his face so that the words come out slightly muffled. Things had been slightly awkward between the two of them ever since Naruki's slip up the other day, but the Jounin seemed to have let it go, for which Naruki was grateful for. Glancing down at his former sensei, Naruki feels a surge of guilt. "Ah, I hope you don't mind me promising to teach her? It's just that she looked so nervous and I didn't want to say no, but if you-"

Kakashi waving a lazy hand in Naruki's general direction cuts him off. "Don't worry about it. More work for you means less work for me." The other Jounin says, before returning back to his slumber, quieting once more.

Snorting at the man's antics, Naruki falls to the ground also, lying on his back and enjoying the sun falling down through the trees. Time passes, the sun rising into the sky steadily. The atmosphere is so quiet and relaxed, that Naruki is shocked violently out of his daze when a loud shout is heard. Springing up off the ground in a single moment, Naruki's gaze searches frantically around him for an enemy, muscles coiled with tension.

Kakashi, who also heard the yell, raises his head, the book that was previously covering his face falling to the ground with the movement. The copy-nin looks to Naruki, then to where his students are training.

"Relax, Naruki-kun." He says, dragging himself to his feet leisurely and brushing himself of any grass. "That was Naruto's excited shout. Let's go investigate." Tucking his orange book into one of the many pockets lining his flak jacket, Kakashi begins to walk in the direction of the shout.

Following the older man, Naruki forces himself to relax. When they finally come upon the brats, it's to find Naruto, along with twenty or so clones that are all surrounded by the sliced in half remain of their leaves. As the two jounin enter the clearing, three heads swivel simultaneously in their directions.

"We did it!" The three genin shout in unison.

 _They're picking this up a lot quicker than we ever did._

" **They have the luxury of a supportive family and team, as well as relative peace. Your time did not."**

"Good job all three of you!" Naruki exclaims. "You've all managed to perform the first stage of mastering elemental training. Now-"

"Hey, Sakura!" Comes a loud voice from behind him. Naruki instantly whirls around, cursing himself for letting his guard down. _Why does this keep happening,_ Naruki grits out to himself, _In my time, being so relaxed would have landed me dead twenty times already. Sakura would have my balls if she saw me being so complacent._

" **No,"** Kurama softly answers, **"she wouldn't."**

Unwilling to try and understand that cryptic comment, Naruki takes in the newcomers. Striding up to them, in all their short and pubescent glory, is Team Ten.

"Kakashi." Asuma says around a cloud of smoke, "nice to see you not buried inside that perverted book of yours."

"Maa, maa, Asuma, give me some credit." Kakashi says, before whipping his book back out of his pocket and giggling into its depths. Asuma, obviously used to this type of behaviour from his fellow Jounin, only sighs in annoyance. It's only after Asuma has finished addressing the other man that he finally takes note of the foreign figure within the clearing. Asuma walks up to him and holds out a hand.

"You must be Namikaze Naruki." Asuma says. "Got the whole village in an uproar wandering just who you are by the way, and what exactly your relationships with the Hokage is." Asuma gives Naruki a searching look, to which he has to resist the urge to snort.

"That'd be me." Naruki replies, ignoring the mans unasked question and taking Asuma's hand in his own to give it a firm shake. "Nice to meet you…?"

"Sarutobi Asuma." The man says. "And this," the man turns to indicate the children behind him, "is my team. Introduce yourself, brats!" Said brats all grumble at being ordered around, but comply. The girl bounces up first.

"I'm Yamanaka Ino." She announces, before jerking a thumb at Sakura. "I'm Sakura's best friend." Almost subconsciously, the blonde seems to puff up in pride at the self-imposed title. Sakura, rolling her eyes at her self-proclaimed best friend, grabs the other kunoichi by the arms and drags her off to the side, where they engage in some light-hearted chatter.

"Akimichi Chouji." The next boy says with a wave, before a slightly mischievous smile breaks across his face. Flinging an arm around the figure next to him, Chouji drags the figure into a headlock. "This lazy guy here is Nara Shikamaru, and he's _my_ best friend!"

Said Nara is too busy being squashed under the weight of the considerably larger boy to even dignify that with a response, simply grumbling a low "troublesome" as he is dragged away to join the two girls. Naruto, who up until now has only been watching the introductions, looks to the girls, then to Chouji and Shikamaru, before his gaze settles on Sasuke.

"Hey, Sasuke!" The blond asks, voice laced with curiousity, "Are we-"

"Finish that sentence and I'll strangle you, usuratonkachi."

Naruto's response is immediate. "Bastard!" The blond shouts, shaking a fist in indignation. Sasuke, with all the air of someone very long suffering, drags the blond after him to join the others. But as they are walking, Sasuke says in a voice that is only meant for Naruto's ears, but that Naruki hears because of his enhanced senses, "of course we are, idiot."

Naruto's answering little smile tugs at the strings of Naruki's heart.

"Children, am I right?" Asuma laughs, smoke billowing around him. "Sometimes," Asuma continues, "I weep for this generation. They're too soft for their own good."

Naruki takes the time to consider those words.

"Soft, huh…" Naruki chuckles hollowly, drawing the attention of the other two Jounin firmly on him.

 _Naruto barely even registered the pain when his arm and leg were both blown off him from the force of the landmines he had unwittingly stumbled upon._

" _Sakura, Sai, we've got this. You need to leave now, and get Naruto out of here!" Shikamaru shouts. "He's the only one who can reverse all of this if we lose."_

" _If we leave you, you'll die!" Naruto rasps out around pain and blood._

" _There's no other choice!" Ino screams, shoulders shaking with fatigue. The attacking soldiers didn't know it, but Shikamaru and Ino had used up a large amount of chakra already trying to drive the ambushing party wearing Konoha headbands momentarily back. "Sakura, you know I'm right." the blonde haired kunoichi pleads her friend._

" _Ino," Sakura sobs, "please don't make me do this."_

 _Something breaks in Ino's eyes as she gazes at her friend, eyes full of such need and love that it momentarily takes Naruto's breath away. Chouji reaches out a hand to Ino's shoulder however which breaks Ino's stare, and then she's staring back into the approaching death around them._

" _You better look after my best friend, Naruto, or else I swear I'll come back from the grave and rip off your other limbs." And with those parting words, the blonde haired kunoichi dives into the battle with a ferocious roar, pushing back the first few soldiers who dared to approach her with a forceful water jutsu that shoots with all the strength of a rocket. Chouji, popping a pill and shooting them both a sad smile, follows soon after. Blue chakra wings whip out around him to smash into anyone foolhardy enough the get within his range, the familiar faces of their enemies tumbling to the ground in a tangle of bodies. Shikamaru is last to leave, taking in a shaky breath and gazing up at the clouds above him, sorrow and regret rolling off him in waves._

" _Naruto, this is unfair of me, but I'm counting on you. Look after Asuma-sensei's kid for me. Look after everyone. And…save them."_

" _No!" Naruto screams, trying to make his way off the ground after Team Ten as they heroically rush to their deaths, but before he knows it he's being pulled onto the shoulders of a stoic Sai in a fire man's carry, his frantic struggling ignored._

" _Sai, let me go." Naruto shouts into his teammates ear. The man ignores him though, and turns to their pink haired teammate._

" _Sakura," Sai's voice cracks like a whip, "we have to go. Now."_

 _Sakura stands with her back to them, looking out after her best friend. When she turns to face them, there's a cold steel in her eyes that Naruto has never seen before._

" _Okay."_

 _They flee as fast as they can even as Naruto continues to scream and shout as loud as he dares, his steadily regenerating stumps thumping against Sai's back and soaking them both in blood._

 _When they get back to their camp hours later, Kiba's welcoming smile quickly slides off his face at the sight of them. No one from the rebellion approaches them, the surrounding crowd instead choosing to watch silently as Sai lays a tired Naruto to the ground. Once Sakura's happy with his healing progress, sinew and bone and muscle regenerating rapidly, she stalks out of the clearing where they've all set up camp and into the surrounding forest. No one follows her._

 _Five minutes later, a sorrowful scream is heard, along with a trembling earthquake that shakes the entire land._

"These children," Naruki says with all the tenderness of a blessing, "are already strong in all the ways that matter. Besides," He sends them both a sad smile, barely there, "isn't that the reason we fought so hard? So that this generation wouldn't have to?"

Leaving the two sobered Jounin behind him, Naruki walks over to the small Genin and plops himself down amongst them, just in time to break Naruto and Sasuke up as they lunge towards each other to engage in another superfluous battle.

 _This time though,_ Naruki swears with all renewed determination of his younger years as he looks at the impossibly small Genin in front of him, _I'll make sure they never have to suffer what we did. This generation deserves better than what we got._

 _You better fucking believe it._

* * *

Kakashi knows somethings up the moment he sits down in the vacant seat at the table next to Obito and the conversation within the bar hushes. Having a fairly good idea what it is causing the other residents within the room to be so curious, however, Kakashi ignores the sudden tension and continues to read his book, giggling in all the right places and fiddling with the drink Asuma slides over to him. Eventually, once it becomes obvious that Kakashi's not going to say anything with so many people around, they all return to their earlier conversations, the noise within the bar rising again to its normal volume.

"You're gonna make us ask, aren't you?"

Kakashi finally looks up from his book, taking note of the curious expressions that his peers are sending him. Kurenai is the one who's spoken, leaning forward so as to see him around Asuma who sits next to her. Anko and Gai both have twin expressions of uncharacteristic seriousness adorning their faces, seeming to be holding on to their tongues by an edge, curiosity lining every crevice of their expression. Obito was the only one not looking at him, seemingly content to sip at his drink and let Kakashi handle the situation by himself.

 _Asshole._

"Ask what, Kurenai-chan?" Kakashi says, purposefully playing dumb. His innocent question immediately has the desired effect, causing Anko to surges to her feet in frustration. Kakashi tries not to smile.

"You know what! What's the deal with everyone saying there's a clone of the Hokage running around, eh!?"

"Anko-chan," Kurenai says softly, placing a calming hand of her elbow, "calm down, he's just trying to rile you up." Anko looks for a second like she might argue with her best friend, but seems to decide against it, sitting back into her chair with a huff.

 _Kurenai always was the only one allowed to call her that,_ Kakashi muses, _last time I even joked about it, I nearly ended with a kunai to the head._

Having successfully calmed Anko's temper, Kurenai turns to Kakashi, expression morphing into one of unimpressed displeasure. If Kakashi were a more expressive man, he would've thrown his hands up in defeat. Instead, he settles for rolling his one visible eye.

"Obito's met him. As has Asuma." Kakashi grumbles, ignoring the glare Obito shoots his way. "Why don't you interrogate them?"

"We've already interrogated Obito on his spar with the new comer." Asuma replies. "And, I barely got to talk to him before he was chasing our kids around like he was a brat as well. Now, talk."

Letting out a puff of air, Kakashi leans his head into the palm of his hand, elbow resting on the table. "Fine. Ask your questions."

Considering that he has been nearing radio silent for the conversation so far, Kakashi is surprised he's managed to hold onto his tongue for so long. "Is it true that he's the illegitimate brother of the Hokage's?" Gai asks, booming voice more subdued than usual.

"Yes."

All the occupants at the table shoot alarmed looks at one another.

"Are you sure?" Kurenai asks.

"Yup," Kakashi says, popping the "p" obnoxiously, "Tsunade confirmed it with a blood test and everything. Also, his back-story lines up with everything we know about the Hokage's parents, so…"

"And they made him a Jounin!?" Anko bursts out, "just like that!? What kind of bullshit is this!? He could be a spy for all we know!"

"Anko has a point," Asuma's voice is low and curious, "how could the Hokage give him the status of Jounin so suddenly? I know his story lines up, but still. It seems kinda reckless to trust him so quickly."

"The kids not all that bad once you get to know him." Kakashi admits grudgingly, at war with his protective instincts. Those at the table stare at him in something akin to surprise, ignoring the measuring looks he receives from Gai and Obito simultaneously.

"Whatever then." Anko says, breaking the silence just before it dips into awkwardness, throwing back a shot of alcohol and regaining her usual gusto, "You should introduce him to us all sometime. Who knows, maybe him and I can get to _really_ know each other." Her wink and little smirk at the end of that sentence cause the majority of the table to throw their heads back and groan, successfully derailing their earlier conversations into more light-hearted topics. Silently grateful to Anko for redirecting the attention from himself, Kakashi relaxes.

No doubt sensing weakness, Obito leans closer to him, covering Kakashi's hand under the table on his lap with his own and lowering his voice so that they cannot be heard over the din their friends are making.

"Are you sure about this, Kakashi?"

Flipping his hand up to tangle his fingers with Obito's, he gives them a squeeze.

"No. But Sensei gave me a job to do. Maybe, if I can get him to trust me, get him to relax, I can get him to make a mistake. Until then you, Yuki and I are just going to have to watch him, okay?"

Obito nods grimly in agreement, squeezing his hand in return.

* * *

Naruki stirs at his ramen with his chopsticks absentmindedly, mind elsewhere.

"Naruki-kun?" A voice breaks through his daze. Turning in his chair, Naruki blinks at the man behind him, squinting slightly before a smile breaks across his face when he sees who it is.

"Hokage-sama." Naruki greets.

The man in question sighs before situating himself in the stool next to the younger man, giving Naruki an annoyed if slightly amused look. "That's the third time now you've called me by my title outside of a formal situation, despite me telling you to call me 'Minato.' You don't strike me as the type to keep up those kind of formalities, so what gives?"

Naruki shrugs in answer, attempting to turn back to his bowl of ramen. A hand on his arm stops him. "No, seriously." Minato presses, voice a strange mixture of soft but firm, "why?"

Naruki turns the question over in his head, pondering how to go about answering. The man was right, Naruki wasn't usually the type of person to stick to such formalities. Hell, every single one of his former role models had each received some kind of derogatory yet affectionate nickname throughout their lives. Naruki could still perfectly recount the way Tsunade's fist would explode towards him in anger every time he called her 'Baa-chan,' or the disgruntled look Jiraiya would send him each time the blond referred to him as 'Ero-sennin.' Even the Sandaime had been unable to escape from the moniker of 'Jii-san.' So why was this man in front of him so different?

"I…I don't know." Was the only answer Naruki could give. The older blond's expression is unreadable as he searches Naruki's face, before the man seems to deflate. "Fine." Minato relents. "But one day," He begins with renewed determination, "I'll get you to call me by my name…Otouto."

That, Naruki visually reacts to, knees slamming into the underside of the counter top in surprise, only Minato's quick reflexes stopping the ramen bowl from upending all over the younger man's lap. Ignoring the bowl however, Naruki only has eyes for the man in front of him. Credit to Minato, he doesn't seem put off by Naruki's reaction to the title, only gazing at Naruki with a kind of low burning fire as well a small measure of trepidation.

Naruki himself couldn't get his heart to stop trying to beat its way right out of his chest.

" **It is your cover story, kid. You shouldn't be this surprised."**

Naruki doesn't answer his tenant, too busy staring holes into blue. Minato stares unflinchingly back. And like a kunai to the head, he realizes now why he had been so reluctant to call this man by his name, or to call the Uzumaki household _home._

 _I was creating distance. Because I was scared to let them too close._

" **Yes."** Kurama says. **"You were being a coward."**

Far from refuting that statement, Naruki realises that the old fox was right. Subconsciously, he had been keeping those around him at arm's length, close enough to protect but far enough that the sting of their deaths wouldn't hurt so much the second time around.

" **You're pervert of a sensei Hatake taught you that those who abandon comrades are lower than trash…Haku taught you that you become stronger because of the bonds you make."** Kurama's voice is harsh and lecturing. **"Both of them would be ashamed to see this pathetic shit head shell of a self you had become, closing yourself off to the world. They wanted better for you than that."**

 _I've lost so much, Kurama. I don't know if I can survive losing even more._

" **Don't give me that, Uzumaki Naruto."** Kurama growls, before his voice softens. **"You are strong. You think I would have stayed with your ugly ass this long if you weren't? Along the way though you just…forgot. But now, it's time to quit with the pity party and pull yourself together. You have people here who are breathing, and living, and alive** _ **.**_ **Don't fuck up this chance to be happy just because you couldn't let go of your ghosts."**

And Naruki allows himself to actually _look_ at the man in front of him, with his blue eyes and blond hair and the crow's feet that are beginning to form at the edges of his eyes from laughter, and the deeper ones that lie between his eyes from stress. Because Kurama was right. This man in front of his was breathing, living, and so very much _alive_ that it nearly took his breath away. And with it finally came the realisation that there were so many people, just like this man in front of him, just like his _father,_ who were all doing the very same.

And Naruki felt a fire blazing inside of him that he thought long since dead.

Turning away from his thoughts, Naruki finally lifts his stare from the blond mans to smile softly into his ramen bowl, surprise gone from his stance and now only a large surge of fondness circulating through him.

"Challenge accepted, old man."

In an instant Minato's face loses all traces of its previous probing intensity to be swallowed by a loud whine.

"I'm not _that_ old!" The man, heralded as one of the most fearsome shinobi ever, pouts. Snorting, Naruki is helpless to stop his gleeful laughter from sounding throughout the ramen stand.

* * *

Itachi doesn't bother cloaking his presence. Despite being wary of the other man and highly hostile towards him, Itachi knew that the red head would pick up his chakra within a second, no matter what he tried.

Besides, the man should be expecting him.

Landing within the clearing situated amongst a smattering of trees, Itachi is unsurprised when immediately after his landing a pale blue light goes off, indicating the activation of privacy seals that have been placed in a circle around them.

The red head in front of him has their hands on their hips. "Itachi-kun."

Itachi shrugs off the hood of his cloak with a measuring glance. "Uzumaki."

Uzumaki throws his hands up in frustration. "I'm not you're enemy, kid! How many times do I have to tell you that?"

"You may not be my enemy, Uzumaki." Itachi says evenly, "but you are hiding an enormous secret from the Hokage, as well as the rest of those you claim to care for. Tell me, how exactly am I supposed to trust the word of someone who trusts no one?"

Flint steel enters the other man's eyes, a warning in his tone. "You don't know what you're talking about, kid. I'm trying to _help._ "

Itachi, far from being cowed, answers back with only a slight sneer. "Help? Then why won't you tell the Hokage whatever it is you know? Surely he, the _leader_ of our entire village, deserves to know?"

"It's not about what he deserves, Itachi!" The older man snaps. "It's about what he's prepared to handle! You of all people should know that sometimes, some things are best kept in the dark for the sake of others!"

Ignoring the reference to things Itachi would rather be buried for life, Itachi finally loses the last of his patience. "I've had enough of this subterfuge, enough of this sneaking around. I'm going to tell the Hokage myself what I know about you, and he can decide what to do about you from there." Turning on the spot, Itachi prepares to disappear from the clearing.

"If you tell the Hokage anything, Sasuke will die."

Itachi stops cold in his retreat, ice flowing through his veins before he's swirling on the spot and in the older man's face in a single instant, sharingan blazing with a fury like no other.

"Are you threatening me, Uzumaki?" The Uchiha snarls, voice cracking like a whip. Uzumaki, quickly realizing his mistake and eyes widening, backtracks and put's his hands up. "No, no! I would never! Fuck, that came out wrong." A slightly shaky hand runs itself through the red heads hair, said man visibly trying to compose himself and regain his thoughts.

"Then, I would suggest you explain yourself better."

Uzumaki huffs a breath, taking a slight step back to create some distance between him and the furious Uchiha. "Look," Uzumaki says, "Something is going to happen during the next chunin exams. Something big. And, it's very likely that Sasuke is going to be caught in the middle of it."

Itachi feels alarm spread throughout him, but fights to keep it off his face. "Then you have to tell the Hokage. If you have information about a future attack on the village, Uzumaki, then you have a responsibility as a Shinobi of Konohagakure to report it."

"I can't, okay! I barely know anything myself! All I know is that if the Hokage is told what I do know, Sasuke's chances of dying in the oncoming incident will increase, okay?"

Itachi searches the man's eyes for any trace of deceit, and finding none, finally takes a measured step back. "Fine," Itachi relents, "keep your secrets. But know this." Itachi's hand strikes out fast as a snake, sinking with a satisfying thump into the warm flesh of the man's belly and sending him falling to the forest floor with a pained groan. "If my brother comes to any harm at all, I will not hesitate to kill you. Are we clear, Uzumaki?"

Gasping slightly to try and regain the air that was forcibly expelled from his lungs, Uzumaki glares through the pain at the Uchiha. "Crystal." The man grits out. Itachi nods. "Good." Once more he turns to leaves. At the very edge of their privacy enforced circle, however, Itachi stops. Casting a glance back at the downed man, Itachi allows himself a smirk.

"By the way. I've requested the assistance of both Hatake-san and the Hokage's brother on protection detail for the chunin exams. I hope that is to your liking." And with those parting words, Itachi disappears.

Still slightly groaning from the pain in his gut, the man draws himself up off the forest floor and leans himself up against a tree at the edge of the clearing.

 _Damn Uchiha can still pack a punch_

The man grumbles in annoyance, rubbing at his sore stomach to hopefully alleviate some of the pain. The bark of the tree is rough against his cheek which he is using to support his weight, too lazy to make the trip back to the village just yet. Casting his eyes to the sky, the man catches sight of the blue clouds above and feels his chest tighten.

"Just a little bit more."Yuki whispers to himself. "I'm so close. Just a little bit more."

* * *

A/N: Some people might question how Kurama is able to regrow Naruto's limbs in the flashback when he couldn't do that once Naruto and Sasuke blew each other's limbs off. My answer to that is that by the end of the war and after his battle with Sasuke, Naruto had pretty much depleted all of his and Kurama's chakra, meaning that Kurama couldn't heal him.

But anyways, I hope you enjoyed the chapter to let me know what you thought!


	7. How We Got Here

**WARNING: THIS CHAPTER HAS GRAPHIC DEPICTIONS OF VIOLENCE AND A SUICIDE SCENE, PLEASE READ WITH CAUTION.**

A/N Lol honestly at this point I should just accept that me being hella late to release chapters is no longer because of the circumstance of life and more a tragic personality trait. So yeah I'm just gonna go and apologize beforehand for being a bit of a procrastinating noodle, but I hope you guys are enjoying this story enough to stick with me.

I've actually had this chapter written for quite a while, but was just so unhappy with it and kept banging my head against a wall trying to make it better. Eventually I was like whatever, and so here you go. Also, as a broad rule, I try to keep things as close to the Naruto world as possible, however at the same time there is a shit load of material to go through, so I am liable to get things wrong some times. Hopefully you guys can just roll with it and still enjoy.

So before we kick off this chapter, I just wanna address three things. First, I wanna say thanks for all the reviews and theories from last chapter, it was a blast reading all your thoughts. Now, for the sake of the story, I can neither confirm nor deny anything. But please keep sending all your theories in as well as your reviews, because I love to read them.

One thing one person commented on last chapter was that there was a lot of swearing, and I do apologize for those who it makes uncomfortable, however I just feel like if Naruto were a real thing they would all be swearing like sailors tbh, similar to how everyone swears their heads off in the army. So no, I haven't toned down the swearing, and I hope you can still enjoy despite that.

Finally, this chapter is quite flashback heavy, and that is because in this chapter I am finally revealing all the important details regarding Orochimaru's mutiny back in Naruki's time. If you get bored, I do apologize, but I will say that they are relevant to our story going forward which is why I had to include them.

Anyways, enough talking, enjoy!

* * *

 _At first, no one notices._

 _No one notices when the shop keeper down the street begins opening their store up an hour later each day, or when the swordsmith starts making weapons into the night. No one even bothers to notice when several shinobi who have never before interacted with each other become, if not friends, at least frigid companion's over-night._

 _The first inclination anyone has that something is even slightly askew is when Lee shows up to a mission briefing and doesn't immediately scream about the joys of youth. Instead, the man gives a polite nod, a stiff bow, and mechanically begins to recite the details of his mission. The Hokage takes the time to ask him if he is alright, but the man waves her off with a stiff smile and that's that. Hokage as she is, she doesn't have time to be butting into her shinobi's lives, and so she lets him go._

 _If someone were to write out a map showing where they went wrong, letting Lee leave her office that day without extensive questioning would have been the starting point._

 _After that, strange things keep happening. Kakashi stops reading his porn in public, but at the same time arrives later to appointments then he ever has. Ibiki, known to be an accomplished interrogator but never a sadist, cracks a satiated smile when one of his victims lets out a shrill scream. Izumo and Kotetsu stop behaving like best friends and treat each other with cool indifference, barely speaking. Shino steps on one of his bugs, and only takes a second to frown in disgust before flicking it off the sole of his shoe. Shizune loses her patience during a meeting, snarls, and kicks Tonton across the room in annoyance._

 _Looking back on it now, it seems so obvious. At the time, however? At the time, people were still healing from the war, still trying to paste the pieces of themselves back together. The war had changed them all in some way, some more than others. Who were they to judge how others coped with their own trauma?_

 _Naruto should have known it wasn't right though, should have known something was wrong from the very moment Sasuke arrived back in the village and asked to be put back on active duty._

 _He should have known._

* * *

"There's been more added to the prophecy again, Jiraiya-boy." Fukasaku says.

Jiraiya's brow creases, anxiety clear in every line of his face. "Do you know why?" He asks, directing his question to Gamamaru, voice uncharacteristically sober.

The Great Toad Sage heaves a weary sigh, Fukasaku and Shima flanking both of his sides. "No." The Toad says eventually. "I see some things, but not everything."

"Okay." Jiraiya huffs, fist on his hip. "Then what's the new prophecy then, old geezer?"

"Such disrespect." Shima grumbles from the Toad's side. She is largely ignored by everyone else in the room however, eyes fixed to their great prophesier. Gamamaru's gaze has turned distant, seeing something that only he can understand. When he finally opens his mouth to speak, the entire room quiets further.

"Uh" The old toad mumbles, trying to gather his thoughts, "Your prophesised student will sacrifice…something. And bring peace to the shinobi nations…maybe. Oh yes, they're going to have a fight with a…lizard? Or…was it a different reptile? Also, the circle will soon open…or was it close? Hmmm…" He mumbles the last part mostly to himself, a webbed hand coming up to scratch distractedly at his chin, eyes closing in concentration.

Jiraiya stares at the sage, waiting for more to be said. He begins to tap his foot impatiently against the ground as one-minute turns into two. He is about to speak up and prompt the sage to finish his sentence when a snore from the old sage interrupts him.

"Oi!" Jiraiya shouts, startling Fukasaku and Shima, as well as rousing the Great Toad Sage back into the world of the conscious. "Was there anymore?"

Gamamaru peers down at Jiraiya, an undeniable weight to his gaze as he does. The sage opens his mouth, and Jiraiya tenses in anticipation.

"Who're you again?"

Throwing his hands up in frustration, Jiraiya collapses in a dramatic heap to the floor. "Ugh, no point talking to him now, we'll be here all day" Jiraiya gripes. "I promised Minato I'd be back in the village by tomorrow morning, so I gotta go and peek in the bathing houses for a bit. Let me know when the old geezer is finally awake enough to answer my questions, yeah?"

And before either Fukasaku or Shima can answer, Jiraiya has given them both a jaunty wave from his position on the ground and is disappearing in a puff of smoke. Grumbling to themselves, they miss it when Gamamaru heaves a weary sigh, a debilitating fatigue resting in his bones that has nothing to do with his age.

 _Oh, Hagoromo my friend,_ The Great Toad Sage sighs to himself, _what a cruel world we have left for our children._

* * *

 _At the time of the mutiny, Naruto is conveniently out of the village on a mission, Sakura and Sai flanking him. What he knows, he gathers from the accounts of the small group of people who either managed to escape or they were able to rescue._

 _It happens like this._

 _Tsunade's receptionist will tell them that the Hokage was taken out first, Shizune weakening the woman using tea laced with a paralytic. Tsunade, so trusting of the woman who had been by her side loyally for years, doesn't even think twice about drinking it. Tsunade carries that trust right up until her body stops obeying her and she hears a gleeful laugh from her assistant._

 _Next, civilians begin to run out into the village and scream uncontrollably, clutching their heads in unbearable pain. Shinobi who have heard the pained screams appear within seconds, hands resting comfortingly on the shoulders of these panicked civilians to comfort._

 _None of the shinobi expect the civilians to strike out with deadly accuracy and take out a good chunk of Konoha's security within ten minutes. They don't expect Izumo and Kotetsu to seal the village entrance so that no one untrained in the shinobi arts can escape._

 _In the village at the time, Team Ten barely manage to fight their way out. Cousins and aunties and uncles stand in their way to stop them, but Team Ten do not falter as they seek to incapacitate their enemies, not kill. Naruto, Sakura and Sai make it to a clearing outside of the village just as Team Ten break through the branches._

" _It was mayhem," Chouji will later tell him, hands twitching for the comfort of food. "We didn't stand a chance."_

" _The clans were the next to crumble," Ino will cut in. "There were too many being controlled. We didn't realize. Hiki, my cousin, she'd been acting weird after getting back from her mission, but I didn't ask. I didn't ask. Why didn't I ask?"_

 _Shikamaru won't speak the entire time, mouth set in a grim line._

 _Naruto, against the advice of a bone-tired Team Ten, hastily draws the seal Sasuke had gifted him with across his back and sneaks into the village. When he arrives in the village square, it is to find a crucified Tsunade strung up for all to see, innocent civilians and shinobi who were unable to escape staring horrified and open mouthed as their leader makes the spiteful effort to growl and spit into the face of her executioner._

 _Orochimaru's (notsasukenotsasukenotsasuke) face twists into a snarl, hand rising up to deliver a crushing backhand that has Tsunade's head smacking back against the wood with a harsh crack._

" _Hokage-sama!" The villagers all cry, desperate for their leader to save them._

 _Tsunade weakly lifts her head, whispering a tearful apology to the villagers who gather mournfully at her feet and another to her grandfather. Letting out a single sob around a trembling bottom lip, she breathes her last._

 _Orochimaru wearing Sasuke's body stands next to the woman, tracing a finger lovingly across her lifeless cheek, a leer adorning his face. At his side, Kakashi cackles. Standing behind Orochimaru are hundreds of his soldiers, faces that Naruto recognises._

 _Naruto doesn't think he's ever seen Lee look quite so serious._

 _He doesn't need to be a genius to know that that is no longer his friend and teacher. That Shino isn't the same awkward social deviant and that Sasuke is no longer his best friend. Orochimaru, drawing himself up to his full height, turns and stares out into the crowd that has gathered._

" _Your leader is dead. This village is mine." The snakes voice is quiet, but still somehow able to be heard throughout the entire village as no one dares to say a word. "No one will be coming to rescue you. No outside village will risk war with Konoha to offer their help. You are my hostages, and you are on your own."_

 _Orochimaru takes the time to make eye contact with those in the crowd. "I know I have been heavy handed in taking our village, and that many of you are afraid. But I promise you, that if you do not rebel, we will live together in harmony. Do not rebel, and we can have peace."_

 _Across the crowd, hidden near the back, Naruto makes eye contact with Orochimaru. There's a noticeable pause to the sannin's speech as they make stare at each other, unreadable flickering across the snake's face. Naruto has a single second to fear that he has been discovered, heart beating rapidly in his chest, before Orochimaru is turning his attention back to the rest of the crowd._

" _Do not rebel," Orochimaru continues with no indication at all that Naruto has been spotted, voice like spun silk, "and we can live together in harmony."_

 _Naruto doesn't waste time being relieved. Instead, staring from the middle of the crowd at his sensei and other comrades standing by the traitor's side, Naruto feels his blood boil._

" _GO TO HELL!" Naruto screams with fury, gaining the attention of those around him. Soldiers immediately try to convey on him, but Orochimaru and his shinobi are pushed back from the force of his chakra infused shout. In the next instant, Naruto is at Tsunade's side, cutting her body down from its cross as reverently as the situation and nails allow._

 _Not giving his enemies any time to recover, Naruto blasts a hole through the village wall with a well-aimed rasenshuriken and is just as quickly escaping through it. Kiba, Hinata, and a dozen other shinobi who had managed to evade detection follow after him, cries of surprise rising from the villagers who are still trapped._

 _After leaving, he and everyone else will gather together in a dark cave a few kilometres north of the village. A small group of civilians that escape with the help and distraction of Kurenai will tell him that she fought beautifully, bravely. That without her sacrifice, they wouldn't have made it. They will press a small toddler into Shikamaru's arms, lineage apparent from the child's red ringed eyes and wild brown hair. Mirai Sarutobi will stroke a pudgy hand down his cheek, head tipped to the side with confusion, and ask for her mother over and over again. Shikamaru will bury his head into the child's neck, breath shaky, and cry_

 _Kiba will tip his head back and howl at the loss of his sensei, intermingled with Akamaru's._

 _Hinata will clench her fists and cry at the news, but she will not falter. She will pick herself up and continue to fight, hands still bloody from the blow she incapacitated her sister with. Those who survived will brush themselves off, clench their fists, and look to him for hope._

 _On that day, the rebellion is born._

* * *

Naruki shifts once more on the spot, a finger pulling uncomfortably at the neck of his Jounin uniform as the sweltering sun beats down on them. A hand reaches out to smack his away, and Naruki lets out a pitiful whine.

"Stop moving around." Minato says, voice slightly reproachful. "They'll be here soon." Turning back towards the village gates, Hokage cloak billowing around him, Minato misses the tongue Naruki pokes in his direction. Standing resolutely at her husband's side however, Kushina does not, and lets out an unfeminine snort. Kushina herself is currently dressed in flowing deep green robes made of silk. The robes have a high neck and deep sleeves, the fabric stitched with gold weaving along the trim and the Uzumaki symbol proudly emblazoned on the back. Her face is lit with ethereal light next to her husband, belly only accentuating her glow.

 _God, she's beautiful,_ Naruki thinks not for the first time.

" **I've seen better."** Kurama scoffs. His tone though, is soft, so Naruki takes no offense at his comment and simply smiles fondly.

Even Kakashi has lost his usual slouch, ever present little orange book tucked safely away in one of the pockets lining his uniform. Yuki as well lacks his usual jovial personality, eyes focused on the village gates, hand tapping erratically on his thigh in a rhythm only he can hear. However, despite the clear deviations to both men's personality, it is not them that keeps drawing Naruki's attention and causing him discomfort.

That honour lies solely at the feet of one Uchiha Itachi.

When Minato had first informed Naruki of the arrangement, Naruki had simultaneously felt what little saliva had been in his mouth dry up, and all blood flee from his face. Thankfully for him, Minato had been glaring in pure hatred at the large pile of paperwork sitting at the corner of his desk and so had missed the reaction, a fact that Naruki had quickly taken advantage of as he sketched a sloppy salute to the Hokage and fled through the door.

Because here was the thing.

On his mental Venn diagram of 'people most likely to find out' and 'people able to kick your ass,' Jiraiya, Minato, Kakashi, and Kushina all sat firmly in between the overlapping circles. In a third circle, labelled 'people likely to figure you out within a week of knowing them' and overlapping the other two was Itachi's name. On a sticky note attached to Itachi's circle and underlined a million times with red capitalised block letters were the words "AVOID AT ALL COSTS IF YOU KNOW WHAT'S GOOD FOR YOU!"

 _The only reason_ , Sasuke had once declared loud and true to the large congregation of people that had gathered to honour the fallen shinobi, during the year before the mutiny and after Itachi's name had been cleared, _that Orochimaru came after me instead of my brother, was because Orochimaru looked into his eyes and knew without a doubt that if they fought Itachi would crush him in a second. Itachi was stronger, smarter, and better at thirteen then most people could ever hope to be in their entire lifetimes._

Glancing once more at the Uchiha, Naruki's mind flashes back to blood red eyes staring into the darkness mercilessly as they formulate contingency plan after contingency, powerful even in his death. This Itachi lacks some of the hard lines that the Itachi of his time had held, hands less stained with blood to keep others clean. But, there is still that same cool steel to his gaze, that same wisdom to his movements and hidden thrum of power in his presence.

Justified respect ( **"It's fear,"** Kurama laughs. _Fuck off,_ Naruki fires back) aside, Naruki can't quite shake the feeling that Itachi is paying unnecessary attention to him, but every time Naruki goes to glance out the side of his eye to hopefully catch the man in the act, his gaze is always turned stoically to the village gates.

Gulping, Naruki shifts again on the spot, only stopping when Minato shoots him another glare and Kakashi rolls his single eye in exasperation.

"Why," Naruki groans out, losing the last of his self-control as a particularly harsh ray of sunshine hits him "exactly am I here again?"

Sighing in exasperation, Yuki slaps him across the back of the head. "Because this guest is special and Minato want's you here to meet them. Now stop moving, shut up, and look pretty. They're here."

Perking up slightly at the distraction, Naruki immediately straightens his back and tries to paste a quietly polite expression on his face. Judging by the scrunching of Yuki's nose and the way Minato rubs at his brow, he doesn't succeed. Too anxious to get this over and done with, Naruki ignores them both and focuses his attention back on the village entrance.

Striding through the gate, head held high and hair blazing for all to see, is Nagato. At his side, his ever-present shadow Konan resides. Trailing behind the both, gobsmacked expressions adorning their faces, are three genin teams. Nagato, upon catching sight of the small welcoming party, immediately beams and strides up to them, Konan and the genin trailing after.

"Kushina!" Nagato greets warmly, striding up to his fellow Uzumaki and placing a kiss on her cheek. Kushina returns the following embrace with matching gusto, the gesture made slightly difficult by her large belly. Releasing his fellow clan member, Nagato turns to Minato, his smile dimming into something more formal but losing none of its warmth.

"Minato." Nagato says, head bowing slightly. Minato laughs, patting Nagato warmly on the back and drawing the man into a hearty embrace. "It's good to see you, old friend." Minato intones, squeezing tightly before releasing him and taking a step back.

Konan steps up after Nagato steps back, politely nodding at both Kushina and Minato, who nod back. "Thank you for welcoming us into your village." Konan says softly. "And, for letting our genin participate in this year's exams."

Minato shrugs. "Don't worry about it. After everything, well…we were just glad to hear how well your village was doing. Besides, it's not every day that the leader of Amegakure asks for a favour."

Konan, angel and leader of Amegakure, inclines her head in acknowledgement. Finished with their greetings, Konan's eyes flicker to the people behind the Kage, lingering just a second longer on Naruki.

"And who do you have here with you?" Konan asks. Turning slightly and indicating with a hand to gesture them forward, Minato makes introductions, pointing to each person in question as he goes.

"You know Yuki, of course." Yuki bows slightly in greeting, to which Nagato and Konan return with a small bow of their own. "Next to him is my younger brother Namikaze Naruki." Naruki goes to give a jaunty wave, remembers to stop himself midway, and gives a hasty bow. Minato and Kushina are obviously fighting exasperated smiles, but judging from the amused tilt to Nagato's and Konan's lips, they are not offended. "The one with the silver hair is my student Hatake Kakashi, and finally we have Uchiha Itachi, one of my best shinobi. These are the people in charge of security before, during, and after the chunin exams." Kakashi and Itachi both bow, Itachi slightly lower than Kakashi. The Amegakure nins both bow back, however do not tear their gaze away from Naruki.

"I didn't know you had a younger brother, Hokage-sama." Nagato pipes up, pinning Naruki with his gaze. Minato laughs good naturedly.

"Until about two months ago, neither did I."

"Sound like there's a story behind that." The statement is directed at Naruki, a question in his tone.

"Nothing too interesting." Naruki shrugs, attempting to quell the beating of his heart and effect a nonchalant air.

Nagato snorts. "I doubt that."

"Yeah, well…" Naruki trails off, trying his best to quell the surge of dislike he feels for the man in front of him. Judging by the raised eyebrow both Minato and Kushina shoot him and the way Kakashi, Itachi and Yuki are very carefully _not_ looking at him, he knows he's failed once more. Naruki just knows from his firm stare that Minato will be asking about his attitude towards the two leaders of Amegakure, and quietly curses his life.

When it comes to Nagato, there were a lot of mixed feelings to be had. On one hand, the man killed Naruki's sensei and destroyed his village. On the other, the other Uzumaki had done the best he could to redeem himself, bringing everyone save Jiraiya back to life and even trying to help during the war.

So, what it all boiled down to was that Naruki wasn't sure whether to thank the man, or to kill him, and so settles instead for uncertain silence and weary looks.

Konan tilts her head in question, eyes narrowing. "Security?"

Minato lips press into a grim line. "Jiraiya-sensei has received some…disturbing news. But we can discuss that later."

Nodding in understanding, Konan casts a glance around. "And where," she drawls out, eyes fondly exasperated, "is our illustrious sensei?"

Sighing in annoyance, Kushina rubs at her belly. "Probably peeking at some bathing house, that no good pervert."

"Lies! I'm a changed man, I tell yah!"

Naruki visibly startles in surprise at the new voice, jumping back from the cloud of smoke that has appeared and is steadily dissipating, whipping out a kunai as it does. Everyone else however is visibly unfazed by the sudden arrival of the white-haired toad sage appearing right in front of them, Minato simply sharing a long-suffering stare with Nagato and Konan while Yuki and Kushina smack hands in exasperation to their foreheads. Itachi's only outward reaction is the slight twitching of his eye, but Naruki has long learned how to read Uchiha, and so catches the way his lips and shoulders tighten in what can only be described as a permanent flight instinct. Sasuke had the exact same reaction whenever he heard the screaming of fangirls.

Jiraiya, perched on top of his toad, shoots them all his signature smirk. Leaping of his summon with a graceful jump, Jiraiya lands at the feet of the Hokage, the toad disappearing a moment later. "Minato!" Jiraiya shouts jovially, "my favourite student!"

Nagato and Konan both twitch noticeably at that comment. Naruki, though he knows this Jiraiya is not _his_ sensei, feels himself twitch also.

"Sensei." Nagato grinds out, smile a little forced. "Nice to see you."

Jiraiya, spinning on the spot, gasps in surprise as if this is the first time he's seeing his former students.

"Nagato, Konan!" Jiraiya exclaims, taking the two in a crushing embrace. "My favourite students! How have you been!?"

Minato is not alone when his eyes roll, though Yuki's seem to almost fall right out of their socket at the force of it. Nagato and Konan briefly wiggle in his embrace, much to the bewilderment of their genin still standing in shock behind them, before seeming to accept their fate and let themselves be manhandled.

"Woah," one of the genin whispers in shock to her peers, "how is that guy still alive right now."

The genin all nod in agreement, not tearing their eyes off the sight in front of them.

Finally, Jiraiya releases them both, Konan trying to rearrange herself as gracefully as possible. A few of her genin giggle at both of their dishevelled appearances but are quickly quieted by a chilling glare from their leader.

"Nice to see you too, sensei." Konan says primly, still brushing herself off. Coughing pointedly, Minato turns the attention back onto him.

"Sensei." Minato finally greets. "It's good to have you back. Konan, Nagato." Minato turns to address the two leaders. "I'll have Naruki and Itachi here show your genin to where they will be staying during the course of the exams. Yuki, if you could escort Kushina home?"

"I'm pregnant, not an invalid! I don't need Yuki to baby sit me, Minato!" Kushina argues, hands on hips. "I'm a fully capable shinobi myself, don't you forget it!"

"I would never." Minato says, as if the very notion is an offense to God. "But you know how your brother is. He'll escort you home whether you like it or not. At least this way, he can say it's because he was ordered too and not because he's ridiculously over-protective."

Minato punctures that last statement with a wink at his brother-in-law, who blushes in embarrassment but doesn't argue. Instead, he turns to his sister, face softening. "Come on, Kushina. Let's get you off your feet."

And with a disgruntled Kushina in tow, the two siblings head home.

Minato, satisfied that his wife is being seen too, turns to Nagato and Konan.

"Finally, how about you both join Kakashi, Jiraiya, and I in my office. Does that suit you?"

Both Amegakure nin nod in assent. "Sounds lovely, Hokage-sama." Konan says to the Hokage. "One second, though." Turning to her genin, Konan's face turns abruptly stern. "The Hokage has kindly provided you all with the opportunity to participate in the exams this year. You will all show this village and its inhabitants the respect it deserves or else. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes Ma'am!" Her genin all chant back.

Nodding in satisfaction, Konan turns back to the Hokage. "Lead the way then, Hokage-sama." With Jiraiya and Kakashi in tow, Minato leads Nagato and Konan to his office.

Leaving Naruki alone with Itachi.

Gulping, Naruki turns to the nine genin in front of him and does his best to smile. Seeing that a few of the genin go so far as to inch away from him slightly, he thinks his expression probably falls more in the area of paranoid convict then friendly stranger.

"Welcome to Konohagakure," Itachi says. "I'm Uchiha Itachi, and this here is Namikaze Naruki. We will be escorting you to where you will be staying for the duration of your stay. Follow me."

Whether the Amegakure genin have heard something of Itachi's reputation, or they simply find the man's whole countenance to be intimidating, it's clear to see from the get go that the genin are obviously trying to keep themselves from shrinking under the man's intense stare. Naruki, as someone who has felt for himself the raw gravity of having Itachi's full attention on him, doesn't blame the Amegakure nin's.

Itachi leads the genin through the village, Naruki trailing the back of the group to make sure none of them fall astray. A small, brown haired genin with black eyes keeps casting speculative stares back at him before he's wacked on the head by one of his teammates for being rude. Despite the smack, however, the genin is soon back to staring, and eventually Naruki loses his patience.

"Something on my face, brat?" Naruki snaps impatiently. The kid blushes in embarrassment, and Naruki spares a moment to feel bad for being so short with the child when he speaks up.

"So-sorry, mister. Just thinking you looked a lot like the Hokage."

Snorting, Naruki pushes the pre-teen firmly but gently forward to keep him in line with the other genin. "That's because he's my brother, kid." Naruki says, "though if you were listening earlier you woulda caught that information in the introductions, yeah?"

Though Naruki can no longer see his face, Naruki still catches the way the back of the genin's ears redden, and chuckles inwardly.

" **Look at you,"** Kurama says dryly. **"The perfect example of discipline, huh? If Iruka were here, he'd laugh his ass off after he was finished having a heart attack."**

 _Hey!_ Naruki says with no real heat, _I was an awesome student!_

" **Pull the other one, brat."**

Laughing to himself, Naruki keeps following the Uchiha, Amegakure genin sandwiched between them.

As they walk through the village, the genin take in the scenery around them, awe clear to read on every single one of their faces. It's only after they round a fifth corner that Naruki begins to recognize the path they are taking and narrows his eyes in confusion.

 _It can't be…can it?_

But sure enough, Itachi soon stops at the entrance to the Uchiha compound, his clans symbol proudly emblazoned across the compounds entrance. Turning to face the genin with his hands firmly behind his back, Itachi observes the genin in front of him coolly.

"This," Itachi says, "is my clans compound. My father has kindly volunteered it to be used to house the chunin hopefuls for the duration of their stay. Once you walk through these gates, there will be a woman named Mikoto-san, my mother, waiting on the other side to show you to your rooms and explain the rules to you. Any questions?"

One of the braver genin raise their hands, and Itachi nods to him to speak.

"Where are you guys staying then?"

Something in Itachi's expression softens, and unconsciously all the Amegakure genin relax.

"Many of my clan members no longer stay at the complex, instead choosing to live amongst the wider population. Those who do still usually live here are currently staying elsewhere. Anything else?"

When no one raises their hand, Itachi nods, and with a stern, lingering gaze at all of them, he opens the clan entrance gate and gestures them all inside. They do so hesitatingly, shuffling in through the village gates as if they were steeping onto a pyre. Eventually, however, they have all filed through, and Itachi shuts the gates after them with a satisfying click.

Unsure of what to do now that the job is done, Naruki shuffles self-consciously on the spot. Naruki's shuffling brings Itachi's attention snapping abruptly back the blond however, and Naruki tries his very best not to freeze.

They stare at one another for a moment, Naruki trying to control the beating of his heart that sounds suspiciously like _he knows, he knows, he knows,_ and Itachi looking on with something unreadable in his face.

"You're the Hokage's brother." Itachi speaks first, a statement rather than a question.

Naruki nods, throat dry. "Yes."

Itachi's eyes narrow further, if possible, and Naruki has to stop himself from backing up when the man comes to stand in front of him, barely a metre apart. From this distance, Naruki can make out the way the man's eyes flicker over his features, as if cataloguing them one by one.

"Interesting." Itachi breathes.

"Ah, yeah." Naruki says, finally giving up and taking a step away while scratching at the back of his neck nervously, staring at a point over Itachi's shoulder. "I mean, everyone says I look a lot like the Hokage, and I guess I see it, definitely, but at the same time I could pick up a million different things between his face and mine, ya know? So I don't really get why people are always so shocked whenever they get a good look at me, because it's not like we're _exactly_ the same, right? But then again it does all comes down to perspective, so I guess-"

" **Please, brat, stop the word vomit. I'm begging you."**

Naruki abruptly snaps his mouth shut with an audible click, stopping any further nervous rambling from leaving his lips. Cringing inwardly, Naruki risks a look at Itachi, and finds himself relieved to see that the man's lips have curled into a reluctant tilt of amusement. If Naruki hadn't seen his Sasuke wear that exact same expression multiple times, Naruki would have thought the man was mildly constipated. Though, the vague smile looks a little less forced than any Naruki had even seen adorn Sasuke's face, and not for the first time he see's echoes of his best friend looking back at him from Itachi.

Something must show in Naruki's expression, and like it was never there, the smile is wiped away, the man thankfully backing away to a more respectful distance.

"Sorry." Itachi says, still not taking his eyes off the blond's face, and Naruki's brain has a second to short circuit at the apology before Itachi is speaking again. "Just…the resemblance is…uncanny."

Naruki shrugs, feeling a bit more like himself now that he has his personal space back. "Yeah well," he laughs weakly. "What can I say, siblings, amiright?"

The joke falls flat, and Itachi, as if he's been shaken out of a dream, tears his gaze away, expression becoming more closed off even as he gives a small smile. "Yes, you're right… _siblings_."

There's such a heavy and meaningful emphasis to the way the man draws out the syllables of the last word that has shivers running down Naruki's spine.

 _Should have listened to the venn diagram,_ Naruki wails to himself. _What's the point of the stupid thing if I don't even listen to it!_

"Tell me something, Naruki-san." Itachi pipes up once more, Naruki pausing in the middle of his little breakdown to stare questionably at the man.

"Yeah?"

There's a considering pause, where Itachi once more just _looks._ "Tell me," he says finally, "are you loyal to the village, or your family?"

Naruki's brow crinkles in confusion, the last of his panic disappearing as he wracks his brain trying to understand. "Why are you asking?" Naruki questions, head tilting to the side as he takes in the younger boy in front of him (And isn't that weird to think about, that he's actually _older_ than Itachi right now?)

Itachi hums in approval at the question. "I ask," Itachi begins, "because quite frankly I don't trust you, but if I'm going to be working closely with you during the course of these exams, I'm going to need to. So, give me a reason to trust you."

Naruki inclines an eyebrow, hands on hips. "And how do you know I'll be telling the truth, yeah?" He asks, tone slightly cheeky.

Something flickers through Itachi's eyes, a confident smirk on his lips. "I'll know." The Uchiha says firmly.

Naruki looks Itachi up and down with an assessing gaze. "The village _is_ my family." Naruki says eventually, slowly, weight to every word. "There is no one or the other. By protecting my family, I protect the village."

"Ah," Itachi says, "but what if you _had_ to choose between one or the other? What if it came down to a choice between, say, saving Kushina-sama and saving the village. Which would you choose?"

The question is a cruel one, out of nowhere, and even slightly inappropriate to ask someone you've only known all of two hours. Naruki briefly considers brushing off the question with a joke and walking away. But then, Itachi is asking for a reason to trust him, and Naruki remembers that this is _Itachi._ Remembers that this is a man who sacrificed everything he was for the sake of his village, remembers a man who asked him a question with guarded desperation and hope in his eyes.

 _Who will you save. Sasuke, or the village?_

Straightening from his slouch, Naruki meets Itachi's searching look with one of his own.

"Neither." Naruki says firmly, words echoing a time long since passed and ignoring the quirk of the man's eyebrow. "I'd save them both, and screw anyone who tries to get in my way."

Itachi's face has become unreadable once more, but Naruki still feels distinctly judged as the silence stretches. "That's an incredibly naïve view to take." Itachi says eventually.

Naruki sighs, a finger coming up to scratch at the side of his temple and turning his head to the side, hiding his face from the Uchiha. "Saving everyone is hard. I know this, don't get me wrong. Sometimes it can be nearing on impossible to save everyone, especially from themselves."

 _Legs collapsing underneath him, Naruto presses his forehead to the floor in a perfect dogeza, barely even registering the tears flowing from his cheeks. Kiba doesn't turn to face him, the two of them the only solitary figures in the clearing._

" _I'm sorry, Kiba." Naruto sobs. "That blow was meant for me, not her. I should be the one dead. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry." Naruto's words are a litany of apologies, pouring out one after the other. Head still pressed into the grass, Naruto hears Kiba shift. Raising his head slightly, he looks at the brunnete through his tears._

 _Naruto gasps, and surges to the man's side._

" _Kiba!" Naruto shouts, gathering his friend in his arms and desperately trying to stem the flow of blood that pours from the man's slit wrists._

" _Sakura!" He screams desperately in the direction of their camp, "I need help, it's Kiba, he-fuck man, stay with me, god, please stay with me!"_

" _Quiet, Naruto, damn." Kiba whispers. "It…It's okay._

" _No, god, no, not you too." Naruto moans down at his friend through hitched breaths, "Why would you do this, fuck, fuck, fuck! Sakura! Please!" But his pink haired friend is too far away to hear his desperate cries. Kiba is steadily paling in his arms, blood escaping through the cracks in Naruto's fingers and heedless of his cries._

" _Naruto." Kiba whispers weakly, face paling. "Naruto, I…" But Kiba cuts himself off, catching sight of something over Naruto's shoulder that has his face relaxing._

" _Hinata." He sighs around a smile, before his face slackens and his eyes grow distant._

" _Dammit!" Naruto screams, hands leaving his friends wrists to clutch at his own face, smearing it with blood. "God_ _ **dammit!"**_

Blinking away the memory, Naruki huffs a bitter smile. "I've seen enough of the world to know that it's impossible to save everyone, no matter how hard I try. But…" Naruki slips his hands into the pockets of his jounin trousers, gives a soft smile, and shrugs, "The way I figure it, the moment we stop trying to save as many people as we can? That's when we start becoming the sort of people who are willing to sacrifice entire armies just to win their wars, and to hell with the people who died along the way. That…" Naruki looks Itachi square in the eye. "That's not what I want to be."

The silence after Naruki's declaration stretches, neither men breaking eye contact as they both size the other up. After what seems to be an age, Itachi lips twitch upwards, his whole countenance seeming to soften.

"Good answer."

* * *

 _"They're on their way." Naruto croaks out. The shinobi surrounding him all quiet down, listening. Naruto takes the time to look every single one of them in the eyes, taking in their faces._

" _I know," Naruto forces out, "that all of you have loved ones on the other side right now. People who are being held hostage by Orochimaru, and people," here, Naruto levels a stare at Tenten, "who are being controlled."_

 _The Kunoichi doesn't falter in her stare, her gaze cutting like blades. Naruto, swallowing the suddenly large lump in his throat, looks away._

" _We've all lost so much to Orochimaru and his army. The way we are right now, there's no possible chance we could ever win. If we wanted to, we could just lay here and let Orochimaru take us."_

 _A few heads dip to the ground, fists shaking and brows furrowed. There's a certain kind of surreality to the situation, knowing that in less than an hour you're are most likely to be dead, and at the same time feeling the warm beat of the sun on your neck and the birds whistling in the trees. Naruto is half tempted to tilt his head back and let the sunlight wash over him, disappear into the calm it offers. However, Sakura and Sai are suddenly at both his shoulders, a warm, anchoring presence, and Naruto finds himself again. Finds his words. Find's the last dredges of his long held spiteful determination and pushes it up and out._

" _But," he growls suddenly, causing heads to snap up and backs to straighten, "you know what I say? Fuck that."_

 _Murmurs start up again, a rustle of energy passing through them. Many are nodding along now, fire in their eyes. "Orochimaru thinks he can break us? Thinks he can make not just me, but all of us give up? Fuck that!"_

" _Fuck that!" The small crowd echoes back._

" _This is our home, our village! And there isn't any way I'm letting that snake-bastard take it from me without one hell of a goddamn fight!"_

" _Yeah!"_

" _We are shinobi of Konohagakure no sato!"_

 _The shouts are louder now, fed by a manic energy._

" _Orochimaru thinks he can break us?"_

 _In a second, Naruto has summoned the last of his strength to call forth the gold cloak that covers him and his shinobi like a lover, tender and protective, lighting the clearing with iridescent fire. In his peripherals, he sees Sakura give a sharp tug on her gloves and activate the last of her seal, while Sai pulls out his scrolls._

" _He thinks he can make us give up?" Naruto shouts, louder and louder and louder still. "Well you know what I say to him!?"_

 _Naruto's eyes elongate and change, morphing into black slits with a single bar across them as a clone that had been gathering sage chakra pops._

" _FUCK YOU!"_

 _As one, they roar, the sound deafening and all consuming, the pain of the last two years jammed into those few ringing decibels. The shouting doesn't stop, not even when Orochimaru's men burst into the clearing from in front, Sasuke's body smiling maniacally from the forefront, Lee not far behind._

 _Tenten takes one look at her former teammate, face set in a grim line of determination, and tightens her headband. From previous conversations with the woman, Naruto knows that she intends to take Lee along with her into the next life._

 _Naruto wishes he had the heart to do the same._

 _The smiles spreading across their enemy's faces are unnatural, and no matter how many times Naruto sees it, each time it makes him want to throw up. Two hands slip into both of his, calloused and strong and present. Naruto squeezes them both, not taking his eyes off the approaching army in front of him._

" _Time to go, dickless." Sai says. "Think you can handle it?"_

 _Naruto snorts, appreciating the attempt at levity. "Just try and keep up, asshole." Naruto chuckles._

" _We're with you, Naruto." Sakura vows. "Until the very end."_

 _Naruto heaves in a rattling breath, and with a squeeze at their joined hands, he smiles._

" _Let's do this."_

* * *

Minato, Kakashi, Konan and Nagato all sit on the two couches situated in the corner of the Hokage's office, Jiraiya standing. Their expressions are grim as they try to process what the older man has just told them all.

"So, some kind of attack is inevitable then?" Nagato asks, fists clenched in his lap.

Jiraiya nods tiredly. "Yeah. There are whispers everywhere of someone gathering soldiers for their war, recruiters going out to find those strongest and bringing them back God's knows where. I tried to infiltrate their base, but somehow the recruiter knew who I was the moment I approached them."

"How can you be sure they're attacking during the chunin exams?" Konan questions.

Jiraiya shrugs. "I'm not. But, I know that some asshole with the resources and power is gearing up for _something._ Better to be safe than sorry."

Minato inclines his head in acknowledgment. "The chunin exams are where we will be most vulnerable. If anyone was going to attack, that would be the time to do it."

"And that's why you've beefed up security?"

"Yes." Minato says to Kakashi. Then, he turns to Konan. "I know that you came to our village only to participate in our exams, and I completely understand if you are reconsidering your offer-"

"Hokage-sama." Konan cuts the man off, an impatient but fond look in her eye. "We promised you from the very beginning that we would help you. It's the least we could do after everything you and your family have given us."

Tension seeps from Minato's shoulders, Kakashi and Jiraiya relaxing also. Until then, Minato hadn't realized just how much he had been banking on their help. He was glad he didn't have to deal without.

Leaning forward, Minato holds out his arm. Konan eyes the appendage for a second, a considering lilt to her head. With painful slowness, she takes the Kage's arm in hers and clasps his elbow, a warrior's agreement.

"Thank you." He says sincerely, and Konan's answering smile is just as genuine.

"Anytime, Hokage-sama."

Together, they release each other's arms and relax back into their respective chairs, a satisfied feeling in their chests.

"On another note," Jiraiya says, "it's actually really convenient that you three are here."

All the occupants in the room turn to look at the toad sage. "Sensei?" Nagato asks. Jiraiya, expression turning uncharacteristically sombre, rubs at his forehead with two fingers in a typical stalling tactic. Content to wait the sage out, Minato watches.

"The prophecy." Jiraiya says eventually, hand falling back to his side. "There's been more added to it."

Nagato, Konan and Minato all fly forward on their couches, faces paling.

"When you say prophecy," Kakashi pipes up, the only one in the room not negatively affected by Jiraiya's revelation. "You're talking about the one where one of your students achieve world peace or something, right?"

"That's the one." Jiraiya confirms.

"What did he say?" Konan asks.

Jiraiya, finally tired of standing, perches on the arm rest of Kakashi's couch, studying his nails as he does.

"Same old crack about a student of mine bringing peace to the shinobi nations and having to sacrifice something blah blah blah, some shit about the circle soon being opened or closed, and that they'll be fighting some kind of reptile."

The occupants in the room all sweat drop.

"How…specific." Minato dryly remarks.

Konan and Nagato snort, Jiraiya raising his palms in surrender. "Don't blame me, alright." He says, "It's not my fault the old geezers brain has turned to mush. I left before he could say anything because I fell asleep on me, but I'll visit Gamamaru again later."

Minato, Konan and Nagato all nod. Kakashi, the only one in the room not a student of Jiraiya's feels sympathy for the three people the prophecy could potentially be talking about but is also glad it's not him.

"Still," Nagato breaks in, "either way, well…"

"Either way," Konan continues, "the prophecy is about one of us."

"And," Minato finishes, "it's all going to happen soon."

A tense silence descends on the Hokage's office, Jiraiya's three students all looking forlornly down at their hands, none of them willing to voice the selfish thought of _God I hope it's not me._

"So," Nagato eventually breaks the silence, choosing to focus on the other problems and ignore the proverbial elephant in the room. "What do you need from us to help protect everyone?"

Minato looks to Jiraiya, then Kakashi, and finally at the two Amegakure nin. His smile is grim but determined, an edge to it only seen in the most harrowing of war councils.

"Our weather report," Minato finally says, "tells us that it's is going to be clear skies for the duration of the chunin exams. Care to prove them wrong?"

Casting glances at each other, Nagato and Konan grin.

* * *

Naruto is shuffling along the dirt encrusted road with Sakura and Sasuke on either side of him when the square shaped rock tries to sneak on them. Naruto, upon noticing the "rock," feels his left eye twitch in irritation.

 _Dammit, Konohamaru,_ Naruto mentally whines, _you're making me look like a bad teacher!_

Sakura and Sasuke, already having caught site of their assailants, pause in there stroll and stare at Naruto in amusement. Huffing to himself, Naruto strolls up to the square rock and crosses his arms.

"C'mon you three!" Naruto scolds, "You can do that better than that! I mean seriously, a square rock with eye holes cut into it? Get out of there so I can kick your stupid asses!" Punctuating his last words with a kick to the box to overturn it, Naruto settles his face into his best _I am not impressed_ look, courtesy of his mother.

Only to feel his eyebrows fly up to his hairline when the box flips over to reveal no one underneath.

Naruto barely has time to twirl around and gasp in surprise before both Konohamaru and Moegi are tackling him, Udon joining them only a moment later. With the combined weight of their three little bodies, Naruto is sent sprawling to the ground with all three on top of him.

"Gotcha, Boss!"

Blinking owlishly up at the sky above him, Naruto takes a moment to process what just happened, before looking down at the three grinning children who have attached themselves to his chest.

"Huh." Naruto huffs in surprise. "How'd you manage that?"

"Well," Moegi begins, "we knew we would need a distraction. That's where Udon came in. If you look closely, there's some Ninja wire attached to the box."

"While I was in position dragging the box after you to make you think we were under it, Konohamaru and Moegi were hiding in wait." Udon Continues.

"Using that chakra supressing technique Sakura-neesan taught us the other day, we waited for the perfect moment to ambush you, and then bam! We got you! We finally got you, Boss!" Konohamaru finishes, glee clear for everyone to see in every line of his face.

Chuckling slightly, Naruto leans up so that the children fall from his chest to his lap and smiles fondly at the three of them. "That's my students." He praises. "You three are gonna be awesome one day, believe it!"

All three children blush slightly at the praise, before drawing themselves up in determination.

"Believe it!" All three parrot back.

"Oh God," Sakura moans, "they're turning into him."

Strategically choosing not to mention the fact that he had just heard her using the very same phrase not two days ago, Sasuke gives the small children an assessing look. "If we kill all four of them now," Sasuke says conversationally, hand on his chin as if in deep thought, "we could probably save ourselves a lot of future headaches. Might be worth the murder charges."

Sticking his tongue out at his two teammates, Naruto pushes the three children gently off his lap and climbs back to his feet, brushing the dirt off his backside as he does. "C'mon, ducklings!" Naruto shouts, "As a reward for managing to trick your sensei, I will be treating you to ramen!"

All three tiny faces immediately light up in excitement. "Yay!" They cheer, fists punching into the air. Smiling fondly, Naruto gently pushes the three children in front of him. "You know where it is." He tells them. "We'll meet you there. But, the person who gets there last has to do extra training for the week!"

All three faces pale considerably at the thought of extra work, before tightening in determination. Naruto grins.

"Alright, on your marks, get set, go!"

All three children immediately burst off in a cloud of smoke down the pathway, kicking up dust as they go. Just before they disappear around the corner, Naruto sees Moegi stick out an ankle and then cackle gleefully when Konohamaru trips and goes sprawling onto the dirt pathway.

"Not fair, Moegi!" Konohamaru shouts after her as he picks himself up off the ground, before he too disappears around the corner after his friends in a sprawl of limbs.

"They do know you're not their actual Sensei, right?" Sakura asks, coming up beside him and staring after the children in bemusement.

"I wouldn't bet on it." Sasuke huffs, hands in pockets and looking as if he were struggling not to roll his eyes at the antics of the people around him. Naruto rubs at the back of his head sheepishly.

"Aw, c'mon guys, I-"

Naruto cuts himself when a shout of pain is heard, ice shooting through his veins. In an instant and without any kind of conscious decision to do so, Naruto is running in the direction of the shout.

He recognises that voice.

Rounding the corner and nearly smashing into the opposite fence because of his speed, Naruto searches for the source of the cry.

"Udon!?" He shouts, scanning the pathway in front him. There, at the very end, he sees them. A girl with spiky yellow hair gathered into four clusters at the back of her head with a giant fan strapped to her back is looking irritated as she observes the scene next to her. Naruto follows her line of sight and feels anger thrum through his veins.

"Hey!" Naruto shouts, stalking forward. "What the hell are you doing with my students!?"

The boy with markings on his face and dull grey clothes barely flicks them a glance, before turning back to the child he had clutched in his grasp. At his feet, both Moegi and Konohamaru are on the ground, staring up at their teammates feet kick at mid-air as he is suspended by the hand buried in his shirt.

"Sorry," the bully says, "but this punk and his friends bumped into me. I've gotta teach them a lesson."

"Kankuro." The girl next to them hisses, "Put them down! If Gaara finds out-"

"Shut up for a second about Gaara, okay Temari? He's not here, so let's do what we want!"

"Konohamaru, Moegi." Naruto says, voice dangerously soft. "Come here."

"Bu-but Boss!" Konohamaru stutters out, "Udon is-"

"Don't worry about Udon, Konohamaru." Comes a silky voice from next to him. Naruto doesn't need to turn to know that Sasuke is the one who has spoken, or that Sakura also is stepping up beside him.

"Yeah." Sakura reassures firmly, hands twitching for a weapon. "We'll get him back. He'll be fine." Konohamaru and Moegi both look at Team Seven, before looking at each other. Together, they look up at Udon.

"Do-don't worry, Udon." Moegi says, climbing to her feet and backing away, "Boss will save you." Following her lead, Konohamaru also climbs to his feet. However, he makes the mistake of turning his back.

"I'm not done with these brats just yet, Leaf-scum."

The boy, identified as Kankuro, lifts his foot and kicks Konohamaru square in the back, sending him tumbling into the dirt with a grunt of pain and pinning the smaller boy to the ground with his heel. Moegi, having managed to clear the distance, hurriedly runs in the direction of safety. "Fine." Temari snaps. "Just remember that if Gaara finds out about this, it's all _your_ fault, not mine."

"Noted." Kankuro says with a predatory grin, before turning back to the two children in his grasp. "Now, what was I doing again?" Udon, still in his grasp, gives a whimper in pain. Konohamaru, face full of dirt, only wriggles from his pinned position.

"Suna nin."

Kankuro looks up at the pink haired Kunoichi who has just spoken, and sneers. "What?"

Sakura's face doesn't change, but her fist does tighten at her side as Moegi grabs a fistful of the kunoichi's dress in fear. "You may have permission to be in the village for the chunin exams," Sakura says, drawing attention away from Naruto and Sasuke who are both forming familiar hand signs behind her back, "but not to be attacking Konoha's citizens. Especially," Sakura's gaze flickers down to Konohamaru "those who are the grandson to the Third Hokage." At this information, Kankuro obviously blanches, dropping Udon and lifting his foot from Konohamaru as if he's been burned.

"Wha-" However in that small instant of distraction, Sakura has whipped out a kunai from seemingly nowhere and has chucked it with deadly accuracy at the Sunagakure genin. Kankuro barely manages to dodge the projectile, wrong footed as he is, and so is completely unprepared for when the kunai Sakura has thrown bursts into a puff of smoke and rematerializes as Naruto. Not wasting any time, Naruto immediately drops to the ground and darts forward to gather both Udon and Konohamaru in his arms, accidently dropping a shuriken as he does. Backing just as swiftly away, he places them down beside Moegi, who immediately wraps them both in a hug. After having deposited the children to safety, the clone disappears.

"You little shits!" Kankuro starts, rising to his feet, walking forward and grabbing at the object attached to his back that is wrapped in bandages, "you're gonna pay for-"

"I wouldn't."

Kankuro freezes as a kunai digs into his throat from behind. "What the-how did you-" Kankuro chokes out. Only just then does he see the small whisper of smoke where Naruto had dropped his shuriken, and no weapon in sight.

Sasuke smirks. "Naruto may be a dumbass, but even he wouldn't drop something that could be potentially used as a weapon against us."

Back where the real Sasuke is supposed to be, standing next to his teammates and three children, the raven bursts into a puff of smoke and disappears. Once the smoke clears, Naruto smiles a shit-eating grin.

"Got yah!"

"Dammit, Kankuro!" Temari growls, grabbing at the giant fan on her back, "Now look what you've-"

"Stop."

Immediately, everyone standing on the pathway stops breathing as an oppressive presence fills the area. Kankuro and Temari noticeably pale, and even Sasuke has to fight the shiver the trails down his spine. Turning all as one, the Konoha and Suna shinobi take in the new arrival.

His eyes are green, his hair is red, and there is a tattoo emblazoned across his forehead. Strapped to his back is a giant gourd, and he stands upside down on one of the larger branches of the tree. He pins the Konoha Shinobi with a blank stare, and all three of them visibly tense.

 _This guy,_ Naruto thinks, _is not normal._

"Kankuro, Temari." The red head says softly, arms crossed, "I thought I told you not to make a scene."

"So-sorry, Gaara." Temari stutters.

"Yeah." Kankuro continues, "We-we were just."

"Shut up, or I'll kill you."

The two other Suna nin immediately snap their mouths closed with a clacking of teeth, and it would have been funny if not for the fear Naruto was currently feeling.

"Sasuke-kun." Sakura shouts, voice slightly shaky. "Come here." Sasuke tears his eyes away from Gaara and to his pink haired teammates, pride warring with logic. Eventually, the latter wins out, as the Uchiha withdraws his Kunai from the Suna nins throat and is back by his team's side before anyone can react.

Gaara suddenly disappears in a whirlwind of sand, before reappearing at his teammates side. "I apologize for my teammates behaviour." Gaara says, "We will be on our way now."

And with those last parting words, the Suna nin continue their way down the beaten path, Temari and Kankuro noticeably shaking as they follow.

Naruto, arms full of the three children as they cling to him, shivers wracking their bodies as Naruto rubs comforting hands down their backs, looks up at his two teammates.

"Well…" He trails off. Sasuke and Sakura both look back at him, determination in their eyes and an excited smile making its way onto their faces. Naruto feels a matching one spreading across his cheeks.

His hands tremble in anticipation.

"These chunin exams are gonna be fun."

* * *

 _Orochimaru (notsasukenotsasukenotsasuke) runs at him, blade unsheathed, and eyes lit with a manic fire. Scattered around them both are bodies, dead and wounded and bloody, painting the surrounding area with blood. Orochimaru swings his blade down at Naruto's head. Moving quickly, Naruto steps to the side of the swords downward arc, dashes inside of the sannin's guard, and delivers a rasengan to the traitor's stomach._

 _The snake gasps in surprise for a second, before disappearing in a burst of smoke. Cursing to himself, Naruto is just in time to duck under the side swing that would have severed his head, and back flips to safety. Orochimaru, however, doesn't advance, instead sticking his blade into the ground and leaning lazily against it._

" _You've been a real pain in my side, Naruto-kun." Orochimaru begins conversationally, them the only two within the area still standing. Everyone else, on Orochimaru's side and including the small handful of loyal shinobi that Naruto had kept back with him to fight lay dead or dying. Sai is struggling to pull in air through broken ribs and stem the flow of blood from the stump that was once his leg. Off to the side, Sakura lies unconscious from a blow to the head. Pushing aside his concern for his friends, Naruto fixes Orochimaru with a smug smirk._

" _The pain is the arthritis and old age, Orochimaru. Not me." Naruto taunts, knowing there was nothing the snake hated more than having his vitality questioned. Orochimaru's eyes narrow, sharingan within swirling dangerously, but Naruto doesn't flinch in his glare._

" _ **Don't worry, I won't let that asshole get us in a genjutsu."**_

 _Realizing that his technique is ineffective, Orochimaru huffs in annoyance, like one might do when they are all dressed and ready for the beach and there's some inconvenient rain clouds darkening the sky._

" _I can hear him, you know?" Orochimaru says suddenly. Tapping at the side of his head, he smiles. "Right here. He keeps screaming at me to let him go, to stop. I've never heard Sasuke-kun make so much noise. If I'm being honest, it's…" Orochimaru's tongue darts out to lick at his lips. "Delicious."_

 _Naruto snaps._

 _Shouting in fury, nails elongating and teeth sharpening like they haven't done since Naruto learned control, the Jinchuriki charges the sannin._

* * *

The sky is just beginning to brighten, casting shades of red and yellow across its expanse as the birds wake to the morning.

Naruki stares at the memorial in front of him, a flower clutched in his hand. He kneels next to the stone monument, fingers tracing the many names carved into the memorials surface, lingering on a blank patch of stone next to the name Nohara Rin where the marble has been chiselled out and then sanded smooth. The most recent name carved into the stone is one that Naruki does not recognise, and he gives it only a cursory glance before resting his hand on the blank patch of stone underneath it.

Resting the flower down next to the memorial, Naruki ignores the way his handshakes slightly against the cold stone.

"Time to go to work, eh, Sakura-chan?" He whispers fondly to the blank patch of stone.

He doesn't bother looking up when he feels a presence next to him. He automatically tenses at the arrival, expecting some kind of ambush. However, Kakashi doesn't say anything, keeping respectfully silent as he too stares at the stone in front of him. As more time passes in silence, Naruki feels the tension in his shoulders uncoil, and the two of them stay there in solemn silence.

Eventually, when Naruki begins to catch the first sounds of genin practising within the training grounds, he speaks.

"Chunin exams are in two days."

Kakashi hums in acknowledgment but doesn't take his single eye off the monument. Standing up from his crouch, knees protesting as he does, Naruki eyeballs the man with a considering tilt to his lips.

"I'm sure they'll-"

"Why are you here?"

The question is sudden and abrupt, cutting off Naruki's attempt to reassure the man about his team. Feeling distinctly put out, Naruki huffs.

"I didn't think I needed a permission slip to come and visit the memorial." Naruki says, crossing his arms defensively, and turning back to the stone.

"Not a permission slip, no." Kakashi drawls. "But an explanation would be nice. Unless you regularly frequent memorials about people you have no way of knowing."

Naruki feels the last of his patience disappear, nerves still slightly frayed just thinking about everything that is to come in the following days. Just earlier the day before he had caught sight of Sound nin and Orochimaru's body slinking through the gates disguised as a genin and had to stop himself from killing the snake right then and there. Only Kurama's insistent voice had stopped stayed his hand.

And now, the implication that he wasn't allowed to come to this memorial site to mourn?

"What's your problem, Hatake?" Naruki snaps, using the man's last name and leaving off the suffix in a fit of blatant disrespect.

"Problem?" Kakashi asks, sounding for all the word as unperturbed as possible.

"Yes, problem. You've been hounding me from the start, and despite the fact that the Hokage seems to trust me, you still don't. So either tell me what your fucking problem is, or piss off with the attitude."

Kakashi raises an unaffected eyebrow at Naruki's tirade, though years of having known the man allow Naruki the ability to detect the slight tightening in his shoulders and the stiff brow.

"Believe it or not, Naruki-kun," Kakashi says eventually, "it's not you I have a problem with. Any other circumstances, and I probably would have grown to quite like you. As it stands, though? You're too suspicious for me to even consider trusting."

"But I haven't _done_ anything." Naruki grits out, feeling for the first time the beginnings of hurt. "I'm not here to harm anyone in the village, I swear!"

Kakashi, no doubt catching the change in emotion, has the decency to look slightly regretful. "I'm sorry, Naruki-kun. Part of me really believes that you mean this village no harm. But I also know that you're hiding something, and while sensei may be content to ignore it for now and let you come to him in your own time, I'm not."

Ducking his head to hide his frustration, Naruki clenches his fists. "Everyone has secrets."

"Maybe." Kakashi allows. "But not everyone appears out of nowhere and claims to be from a long dead village and related to the Hokage. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go make sure my genin are on time for training and not sleeping the morning away."

And with a lazy salute that only serves to increase Naruki's rising anger, Kakashi disappears in a swirl of wind and leaves. Once the wind has settled once more and the leaves fallen back to the ground, Naruki runs an irritated hand down his face.

" **Forget that, kid."** Kurama says. **"You've got to learn how to compartmentalize. Orochimaru now, Kakashi later."**

"Right." Naruki mutters, running a shaky hand through his hair. "Okay. Right"

" **We've planned tirelessly for this. We're ready for this. You know what you need to do."**

"Ye-yeah, you're right."

Kurama falls suspiciously silent for a second. And then. **"It's gonna work, Naruto."**

Naruki huffs a mockery of a laugh, but still nods his head.

"I know it will Kurama."

His fists clench at his sides, nails drawing blood from his palms.

"It has to."

* * *

 _The battle doesn't last long. Naruto may be angry, but he is also worn down, battle trodden, and Kurama is just as weary. The war they both had ended three years ago took a lot of physical and mental effort, but had only lasted a few weeks at most. This? This was a constant struggle that spanned years. No rest, no recuperation, just battle after battle, death after death until Naruto felt like he was inhaling water instead of oxygen._

 _And so, when Orochimaru has him by the neck and a fist alight with chidori in a scene shockingly similar to that at the valley of the end, Naruto knows that there's only one thing he can do._

" _Sasuke." Naruto rasps out as the hand around his throat tightens dangerously, wanting desperately to reach his best friend. "Please."_

 _Orochimaru sneers. "That trick is getting old, Naruto-kun." And then Orochimaru lunges forward to plunge his hand through Naruto's chest, and all he can think is that he failed, failed everyone, failed himself, and this is his punishment. But then the sharingan in Orochimaru's eyes flicker, die, and then the chidori stops just before it enters his chest. Simultaneously, the hand around his neck loosens and lowers his feet back to the ground but doesn't let him go. Naruto pulls in air greedily to his lungs, coughing slightly._

" _Naruto. Look at me."_

 _And there's no mistaking that tone, that timber, because while Orochimaru may have stolen Sasuke's body, he could never imitate the way the man layered deep-seated intent into every word. Naruto forces his eye lids open, and knows, deep in his bones, that it is Sasuke staring back right now._

 _Sasuke's eyes are rough, feral, and his teeth are grit in concentration. His free hand is digging harshly into his scalp, pulling at his hair. "Naruto." The man grinds out. "You have to kill me. I can't hold onto him for much longer."_

 _Naruto has barely even registered the words before he's shaking his head in protest, coughing slightly. "No, Sasuke." Naruto tries, always trying and trying and trying. "There has to be another way."_

" _ **Kill him, Naruto. We've talked about this, goddamit!"**_ _Kurama cries out, voice weak._ _ **"Kill him, before he kills us!"**_ _But Naruto ignores him. Sasuke's face is angry, angrier than Naruto has ever seen him, but Naruto doesn't care because he's here, and alive, and that's all that matters._

" _Don't be a fucking idiot, Naruto. You've got to keep it together. For everyone." Sasuke growls, hand shaking. "Kill me now, before I-"_

 _And then Sasuke's eyes flicker once more, the sharingan flares back to life, and the sneer stretches across his face again. "That was naughty of you, Sasuke-kun." Orochimaru murmurs, pulling himself back together and turning back to the blond still in his grip. "I hope you enjoyed your little conversation, Naruto-kun." Orochimaru drawls, words like toxic waste across the skin. "Let's finish this!"_

 _Almost like it never left, the chidori flickers in his hand once again, birds chirping loud and clear throughout the area, Orochimaru's hand striking out quick as a viper._

 _And then there's a war cry that shakes through the entire land, Naruto's vision is filled with pink, and there's a hand bursting through his torso._

 _From his vantage point, Naruto has a pretty good view of the horrifying scene in front of him. Sakura, in all her terrifying beauty, has one hand wrapped in a death grip on Orochimaru's wrist, directing the killing blow through both her and Naruto's lungs instead of their hearts._

 _The other arm, lit up with chakra to enhance its strength, is buried in Orochimaru's chest._

" _Yo-you!" Orochimaru shouts, eyes filling with fury._

 _Sakura hacks up a mouthful of blood and gives a mocking laugh. "Survive this, you fucking asshole." She snarls, and then with an almighty cry, she tears the man's heart out right in front of him with a sickening squelch. Orochimaru's mouth barely has time to gape into an 'O' of surprise, before his eyes roll back into his head and he slumps forward on top of them both._

 _Naruto, with a growing hole in his chest that has nothing to do from the blow he just took, looks on in horror as his pink haired teammate turns to smile at him over her shoulder with blood stained teeth, the heart of the man she loved (loves, loves, will always love) clutched tightly in her grasp._

" _Sor-sorry about this, Naruto." She gasps out, tears escaping the corner of her eyes, every breath she pulls in comes out quick and laboured. "Bu-but looks like I wo-won't be able to se-send you off."_

 _And with a last, desperate breath, Sakura's eyes glaze over and her body slumps forward, held up only by the arm still imbedded in her and her blond teammates chest._

" _Naruto."_

 _Naruto feels his legs collapse underneath him as he falls to his knees, the movement jostling Sasuke's (notorchimarunotorochimarunotorochimaru) arm from his torso and sending both Sakura and Sasuke's bodies tumbling to the forest floor._

" _Naruto."_

 _Distantly, Naruto knows someone is calling his name, but he's too far gone to answer it. Naruto lets out a low, keening moan, heart beating and beating, so loud he can hear his pulse pounding through his ears as he takes in the figures of two of his most precious people in front of him, because they were deaddeaddeaddeaddead-_

" _NARUTO!"_

 _Sai's shout rips through the entire clearing and cracks like a whip, drawing Naruto's attention up and away from the bodies on top of him. No doubt, his face is stained with gore and grime and blood and bone, but Sai doesn't flinch away. A perfect mask of indifference has slid into place, perfected so meticulously throughout years of training as a Root member, and it does not slip an inch now even as the man crawls slowly over to him._

" _Naruto." Sai tries again, this time quieter and closer still. "We can still save them._ _ **You**_ _can still save them. You've memorized that seal you got from Jiraiya, right?"_

 _Naruto blinks dumbly at his teammate for a second, with the bodies of the other two sprawled across his chest. Swallowing back another low, hacking sob, Naruto nods._

* * *

Sasuke stalks with confidence towards the building, teammates on either side of him, hands buried in his pockets. Naruto keeps bouncing ahead of them and then circling back, body thrumming with nervous energy, while Sakura's hands flutter back and forth over her pouches, checking and rechecking that she has everything.

"You have the seal?" Sasuke asks unnecessarily. Knowing Sakura, she had written down everything they needed to bring on sticky notes and pasted them all throughout her house.

Despite the fact that she has already checked twenty times already however, Sakura once more pats at her pockets, hands pressing against an unfamiliar lump of paper in her pocket. Hand closing around the piece of paper, Sakura nods.

Sasuke, standing in the middle of them, places a comforting hand of both of their shoulders.

"We've got this." He tells them both, giving their shoulders a reassuring squeeze. "Besides," he says, losing some of the sincerity and regaining his usual snark, "it's me you both should be worried about, not those losers in there. Keep your eye on the prize, or else I'll make chunin before the both of you."

Though shaky, they both smile back at him and snort, determination clear as day in their eyes.

"I'm ready." Sakura says firmly, shoulders setting with undeniable strength.

"These exams aren't gonna know what hit them!" Naruto shouts after, jumping on the spot. Sasuke smirks, turns to the building entrance, and yanks the door open.

"Let's do this."

* * *

A/N Whoo! Chunin exams next chapter! I'll probably try and chuck the whole first exam and the beginning of the second into the next chapter, but we shall see how it goes. Hope you guys enjoyed, and be sure to let me knows your thoughts in the reviews!


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